Classification of Malaysian vowels using formant based features

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) has made great strides with the development of digital signal processing hardware and software, especially using English as the language of choice. Despite of all these advances, machines cannot match the performance of their human counterparts in terms of accuracy and speed, especially in case of speaker independent speech recognition. In this paper, a new feature based on formant is presented and evaluated on Malaysian spoken vowels. These features were classified and used to identify vowels recorded from 80 Malaysian speakers. A back propagation neural network (BPNN) model was developed to classify the vowels. Six formant features were evaluated, which were the first three formant frequencies and the distances between each of them. Results, showed that overall vowel classification rate of these three formant combinations are comparatively the same but differs in terms of individual vowel classification

Determination of effective diffusion coefficient of immobilized Baker's yeast invertase in various concentration of PVA-alginate matrix

Baker's yeast invertase is immobilized in PVA-alginate matrix using an improved method. PVA beads were prepared by adding calcium alginate to improve its stability, mechanical and chemical properties. Boric acid was used as the cross-linking agent and additional chemicals consisting of 10% boric acid and sodium sulphate solution was used as a treatment solution to harden the PVA-alginate beads. The determination of the effective diffusion of PVA-alginate matrix the vital step in optimizing the preparation of immobilized and water-soluble biocatalyst. In this study the two-level full factorial design was used to investigate the effect of PVA and boric acid concentrations and diffusions coefficient. Diffusion coefficient (De) is one of the factors that significantly affect the mass transport within the immobilization matrix. De value varies for each concentration of PVA and boric acid. The result concluded that both factors significantly affect the De. A maximum De value of 5.0141 x 10(-5) cm2s-1 was obtained at boric acid and PVA concentraion of 7w/v and 10.5 w/v respectively

The association of shift work and coronary heart disease risk factors among male factory workers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Shift work is one of the work hour systems in which a relay of employees extends the period of production beyond the conventional 8-hour working day. It has been found to be associated with various health problems and there is concern that shift workers are at higher risk to develop risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). The study was undertaken to examine relationships between shift work and CHD risk factors, namely hypertension, dyslipidaemia (either hypercholesterolaemia, hyper-low density lipoprotein-cholesterolaemia, hypo-high density lipoprotein-cholesterolaemia or hypertriglyceridaemia), high body mass index (BMI), hyperglycemia and physical inactivity among male factory workers in a factory in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. METHODS: This study was a contrived cross-sectional study of 76 shift and 72 day workers from one ofthe factories in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Data was collected through a questionnaire on psychosocial and life-style factors, anthropometric and blood pressure measurement, fasting blood sugar and fasting lipid proJiles analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and high body mass index (BMO were significantly higher among shift workers compared to day workers. There was no difference in the prevalence of hyperg[ycemia, hypo-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterolaemia, hyper-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterolaemia and physical inactivity. When the shiji workers were compared with the day workers, the aajusted odds ratio (OR) for hypertension, high BMI andphysical inactivity were 9.1 (95% CI 1.4-56.8), 2.9 (95% CI 1.3-6.1) and 7.7 (95% CI 2.1-27.5) respectively. There was neither association of shift work with dyslipidaemia, nor with hyperglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: There were positive association between shiji work and hypertension, high BMI andphysical inactivity which denotes a higher risk of CHD risk factors among shift workers compared to day workers

Threshold Verification Technique for Network Intrusion Detection System

Internet has played a vital role in this modern world, the possibilities and opportunities offered are limitless. Despite all the hype, Internet services are liable to intrusion attack that could tamper the confidentiality and integrity of important information. An attack started with gathering the information of the attack target, this gathering of information activity can be done as either fast or slow attack. The defensive measure network administrator can take to overcome this liability is by introducing Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) in their network. IDS have the capabilities to analyze the network traffic and recognize incoming and on-going intrusion. Unfortunately the combination of both modules in real time network traffic slowed down the detection process. In real time network, early detection of fast attack can prevent any further attack and reduce the unauthorized access on the targeted machine. The suitable set of feature selection and the correct threshold value, add an extra advantage for IDS to detect anomalies in the network. Therefore this paper discusses a new technique for selecting static threshold value from a minimum standard features in detecting fast attack from the victim perspective. In order to increase the confidence of the threshold value the result is verified using Statistical Process Control (SPC). The implementation of this approach shows that the threshold selected is suitable for identifying the fast attack in real time.Comment: 8 Pages, International Journal of Computer Science and Information Securit

User friendly system for the visually impaired in learning Al-Quran

This study presents a method to enable the visually impaired Muslim to learn and read the Al-Quran using Braille Display with software help. The system reads the database which contains all verses of Al-Quran and user will need to select the verse and ayah to read. Besides that, this system can be used in a class to teach visually impaired students to learn Al-Quran. Every word or character typed by the instructor in the main Braille Panel will be transmitted to the sub Braille Panel that is connected to the main Braille Panel. The selected verse of Al-Quran and ayah will also generate an index before being transmitted to the Braille Panel. The index will be transmitted to the Braille Display for people to touch and read the display. A user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) will be used to fulfill the ergonomics for the visually impaired user's physical capabilities. Several approaches are used to design and implement the interface for the visually impaired like speech or sound output and Braille display. The Braille codes can be displayed using the Braille panel. The design interface and structure of the system for the visually impaired users in learning Al-Quran is presented

Reevaluating Teaching Strategies In Mathematics And Statistics !N Secondary Schools

Numerous studies had shown that rural students are lagged behind inmathematical subjects compared to their urban counterparts,particularly in developing countries. This argument is normallycharacterized and expounded by exposing the negative factors such asstudents\u27 attitude, cultural background, poor environment andfacilities, command of language, lack of graduate teachers as well aspoor mode of teaching methodologies. It has also been known thatthe single factor of "attitudinal problem" has chain-effects in their poorperformance in schools.This paper attempts to highlight some of the ways to arouse students\u27interest in leaming Mathematics and Statistics. Various teachingmethodologies suitable for rural students are discussed. Furthermore,the application of "contextual-based" teaching approach rather than the"content-based\u27 teaching approach is found to be more beneficial forrural students in the teaching of mathematical subjects

Scrutinized System Calls Information Using J48 And Jrip For Malware Behaviour Detection

Malware is considered as one of most emerging threats due to Cybercriminals work diligently to make most of the part of the users’ network of computers as their target. A number of researchers keep on proposing the various alternative framework consisting detection methods day by days in combating activities such as single classification and the rule-based approach. However, such detection method still lacks in differentiate the malware behaviours and cause the rate of falsely identified rate, i.e., false positive and false negative increased. Therefore, integrated machine learning techniques comprise J48 and Jrip are proposed as a solution to distinguish malware behaviour more accurately. This integrated classifier algorithm applied to analyse, classify and generate rules of the pattern and program behaviour of system call information in which, the legal and illegal behaviours could identify. The result showed that the integrated classifier between J48 and Jrip significantly improved the detection rate as compared to the single classifier

Modeling of the Fate and Agrochemical Movement Under Controlled Water Table Environment

The study was undertaken to investigate the effect of water table management practices on the environmental transport and fate of agrochemicals. A laboratory based study using disturbed sand soil columns was conducted to investigate the transport and fate of nitrate (NO~), a commonly used agricultural chemical, to the underground environment as effected by controlled water table depths. Three controlled water table depths set as 0.25m, 0.50m, and 0.75m from the surface and free drainage treatment (no controlled water table depth) were used. A simple statistical model based on mUltiple linear regression analysis was developed using experimental data to simulate reduction and transport of nitrate in soil columns under different water table depths. The regression model was developed from selected physical variables including water table depth from the surface, time, and saturated depth. An imperial equation was obtained from the experimental data with a correlation coefficient of R2 =0.83. The performance of this equation was tested using experimental data and it was found that the output from this equation is acceptable and satisfactory.According to the simulated and observed results, it was clearly shown that the water table depth affects the characteristics of transport nitrate. In addition significant reduction in nitrate concentration was achieved through different water table treatments. The results suggest it is possible to promote biological and chemical degradation to reduce nitrate transport by controlling water table depths