The Power of the Test for the Winsorized Modified Alexander-Govern Test

This research examined the USAge of the parametric method in comparing two or more means as independent group test, for instance, the Alexander-Govern (AG) test. The utilization of mean as the determinant for the center of distribution of variance diversity takes place in testing, and the test provides excellence in maintaining the amount of Type I error and giving immense sensitivity for a regular data. Unfortunately, it isineffective on irregular data, leading to the application of trimmed mean upon testing as the determinant for the center of distribution under irregular data for two group condition. However, as the group quantity is more than two, the estimator unsuccessfully provides excellence in maintaining the amount of Type I error. Therefore, an estimator high in effectiveness called the MOM estimator was introduced for the testing as the determinant for the center of distribution. Group quantity in a test does not affect the estimator, but it unsuccessfully providesexcellence in maintaining the amount of Type I error under intense asymmetry and unevenness. The application of Winsorized modified one-step M-estimator (WMOM) upon the Alexander-Govern testing takes place so that it can prevail against its drawbacks under irregular data in the presence of variance diversity, can eliminate the presence of the outside observation and can provide effectiveness for the testing on irregular data. Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) was used for the analysis of the tests. The results show that the AGWMOM test gave the most intense sensitivity under g = 0,5 and h = 0,5, for four group case and g = 0 and h = 0, under six group case, differing from three remaining tests and the sensitivity of the AG testing is said suffices and intense enough

Evaluation of BIM Education for Quantity Surveying: A Review of Teaching Approaches

Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology has become increasingly well-known among construction industry players throughout the world. It is known as a process that offers numerous benefits by the implementation in the industry. Almost 50% of practitioners in construction industry is using BIM. Quantity Surveyors (QS) are one of the important main professionals in construction industry who should have an adequate and sufficient BIM knowledge and skills. Equivalent to this, based on the educational perspective it is clear that there is a growing need for universities to provide their graduates with appropriate BIM-related skills. Although the educational frameworks that have been established for academic purposes in Malaysia, still, it is in doubt whether this framework is parallel with industry’s demand and also whether the knowledge and skills provided sufficient with industry’s requirements. It is crucial to recognize the applicable teaching approach for BIM educations in order to ensure students capable in applying BIM tools and meet the expectation of industry. This paper reviews the BIM teaching approaches and the BIM module applied in QS undergraduate program.   Keywords: BIM, quantity surveyors, QS education, teaching approach, Malaysi

BRCA1 and BRCA2 Germline Mutations in Malaysian Women with Early-Onset Breast Cancer without a Family History

BACKGROUND: In Asia, breast cancer is characterised by an early age of onset: In Malaysia, approximately 50% of cases occur in women under the age of 50 years. A proportion of these cases may be attributable, at least in part, to genetic components, but to date, the contribution of genetic components to breast cancer in many of Malaysia's ethnic groups has not been well-characterised. METHODOLOGY: Given that hereditary breast carcinoma is primarily due to germline mutations in one of two breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, we have characterised the spectrum of BRCA mutations in a cohort of 37 individuals with early-onset disease (<or=40 years) and no reported family history. Mutational analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 was conducted by full sequencing of all exons and intron-exon junctions. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we report a total of 14 BRCA1 and 17 BRCA2 sequence alterations, of which eight are novel (3 BRCA1 and 5 BRCA2). One deleterious BRCA1 mutation and 2 deleterious BRCA2 mutations, all of which are novel mutations, were identified in 3 of 37 individuals. This represents a prevalence of 2.7% and 5.4% respectively, which is consistent with other studies in other Asian ethnic groups (4-9%)

DNA Methylation Changes in Atypical Adenomatous Hyperplasia, Adenocarcinoma In Situ, and Lung Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND:Aberrant DNA methylation is common in lung adenocarcinoma, but its timing in the phases of tumor development is largely unknown. Delineating when abnormal DNA methylation arises may provide insight into the natural history of lung adenocarcinoma and the role that DNA methylation alterations play in tumor formation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We used MethyLight, a sensitive real-time PCR-based quantitative method, to analyze DNA methylation levels at 15 CpG islands that are frequently methylated in lung adenocarcinoma and that we had flagged as potential markers for non-invasive detection. We also used two repeat probes as indicators of global DNA hypomethylation. We examined DNA methylation in 249 tissue samples from 93 subjects, spanning the putative spectrum of peripheral lung adenocarcinoma development: histologically normal adjacent non-tumor lung, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS, formerly known as bronchioloalveolar carcinoma), and invasive lung adenocarcinoma. Comparison of DNA methylation levels between the lesion types suggests that DNA hypermethylation of distinct loci occurs at different time points during the development of lung adenocarcinoma. DNA methylation at CDKN2A ex2 and PTPRN2 is already significantly elevated in AAH, while CpG islands at 2C35, EYA4, HOXA1, HOXA11, NEUROD1, NEUROD2 and TMEFF2 are significantly hypermethylated in AIS. In contrast, hypermethylation at CDH13, CDX2, OPCML, RASSF1, SFRP1 and TWIST1 and global DNA hypomethylation appear to be present predominantly in invasive cancer. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:The gradual increase in DNA methylation seen for numerous loci in progressively more transformed lesions supports the model in which AAH and AIS are sequential stages in the development of lung adenocarcinoma. The demarcation of DNA methylation changes characteristic for AAH, AIS and adenocarcinoma begins to lay out a possible roadmap for aberrant DNA methylation events in tumor development. In addition, it identifies which DNA methylation changes might be used as molecular markers for the detection of preinvasive lesions

Study of the effect of different shapes of ultrafine silica as filler in natural rubber compounds

The effects of different particle shapes of ultrafine silica used as a filler on the properties of natural rubber compounds were investigated. Three shapes of filler (cubical, elongated and irregular) were produced using the Hosokawa Alpine classifier mode with a 50 ATP-forced vortex classifier. Each filler was loaded into SMR-L natural rubber at four different loadings, 10 to 40 parts per hundred rubber (phr). The curing characteristics, tensile properties and morphology were studied to measure the performance of the filler. Variations of the particle shape of ultrafine silica did not affect the scorch time and cure time of natural rubber compounds. However, at higher loading, elongated-shaped filler showed a higher maximum torque compared with cubical or irregular shaped fillers. Because of better filler-rubber interaction, irregular shaped fillers showed the highest tensile strength, elongation at break and hardness compared with the cubical and elongated shapes

Potassium carbonate from pineapple and orange peels as catalyst for biodiesel production

Scarcity in fuel from fossil fuel has led to exploration of potential substitutes from renewable sources. Biodiesel as one of renewable energy sources is identified as cleaner alternative to petroleum fuel. This paper reports on the study of potassium carbonate, K2CO3 sourced from pineapple and orange peels as heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production. K2CO3 was produced by drying of fruit peel prior to calcination at temperature ranged from 700°C to 1000°C for 2 to 4 hours. To determine the physicochemical properties of the resulting ash, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were employed for the characterization of the solid. Through FTIR analysis, the presence of carbonate was confirmed while SEM analysis revealed the morphological properties of the catalyst. Biodiesel with highest yield of 95.6% was produced at 60°C, 2.75 wt% of catalyst and 12:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil

Growth of mutant synechococcus SP. PCC 7002: effects of multi-parameters and prediction of growth rate

Understanding of the correlative effects of combined variables on the growth rate of the cyanobacteria is fundamental to the exploitation of cyanobacteria as a biological mechanism to produce biofuels. Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are phototrophic microorganisms that offers attractive benefits, among which is a direct conversion of CO2 to a range of valuable products such as carbon-based biofuels. One model of cyanobacteria species is the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. This paper describes the model developed to investigate the combined impacts of the variables on the growth of the Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. The variables understudy include the temperature of the media, light intensity, the concentration of NaNO3, and the concentration of the NPK. The data is obtained from a lab scale study in which the Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 underwent mutagenesis procedures. It is hypotheses that certain combination of the variables plays a key role in determining the growth rate of Synechococcus sp. 7002. The growth rate is determined through the measurement of four response variables, carbohydrate concentration, percentage of CO2 uptake, cell dry weight (CDW), and optical density (OD). A multivariate PCA model was developed which unearths the underlying relationship between the variables. Promising results were yield from the proposed model. Distinctive correlations between the variables were clearly described by the PCA model