Diagnostic performance of solid breast lesions shearwave elastography with histopathological correlation

Introduction: Shearwave elastography (SWE) is an emerging technique of obtaining quantitative tissue elasticity data during breast ultrasound examinations. Objectives: The aim of this study were (1) to determine the mean of maximum SWE value of malignant and benign breast lesions (2) to determine the sensitivity and specificity of SWE correlating with histopathology (3) to determine the agreement between SWE and greyscale ultrasound in differentiating malignant and benign breast lesions. Methodology: Using the Aixplorer® ultrasound system 174 solid breast lesions were identified using us. For each lesion, quantitative elasticity was measured and BI-RADS categories assessed with greyscale. SWE maximum value was calculated and compared with the previously published cut-off value (COV). SWE measurements were correlated with histology results. Greyscale images according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories 1-3 were taken as benign while categories 4-6 were classified as malignant. Results: Of the 174 breast lesions, 149 (85.6 %) were benign and 25 (14.4%) were malignant revealed by histology. The mean of maximum elasticity values were significantly higher in malignant lesions (98.00 kPa ± 50.39) than benign lesions (28.16 kPa ± 17.22), (P ˂ 0 .001). The optimal SWE cut-off value was 42.58 kPa with sensitivity and specificity of SWE were 84.0% and 81.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 42.0% and 97.0% respectively. The AUC of ROC curve was 0.864 for greyscale ultrasound, 0.824 for SWE, and 0.773 for combined greyscale and SWE. There was moderate agreement between results from BI-RADS with COV of 3.5 and SWE of the three COVs. The Kappa agreement between BI-RADS and SWE was increased from 0.458 to 0.550, as the SWE COV increased from 42.58 kPa to 50.0 kPa and 80.0 kPa. Overall, the highest agreement was obtained between BIRADS (COV=3.5) and SWE (COV=80 kPa). Conclusions: Malignant breast lesions have higher maximum SWE value compared to benign lesions . The overall diagnostic performance of combination grey scale ultrasound and SWE was not significantly better than that of ultrasound alone. The optimum COV of SWE obtained from this study was lower than the previous studies, however one might choose higher COV in order to increase the specificity of this potential adjunct screening and diagnostic tool particularly in BI-RADS III or IV breast lesion

Competency of Social Work Educators in Malaysian: A Way Forward

Social work educators’ competency is pivotal in promoting professional social work practices. Effective strategies may improve the competency among social work educators. This study gathered empirical data from a qualitative study conducted among 20 social work educators in Malaysian public universities. The paper derived the strategies from the findings of an in-depth interview. The findings prompt that continuous training, collaborative networking and legislative power are strategies highlighted by the respondents which will increase the competency among Malaysian social work educators. The strategies discussed in this paper will benefit the social work education and social work profession in Malaysia. The implementation of these strategies will give more recognition to social work as a profession and produce more competent and qualified social workers in resolving social issues which threatening the safety and well-being of society. Keywords: Social work educators, competency, training, networking, Social Work Ac

Konsep Maqamat Al-Yaqin Menurut Ibn `Ata’ Allah Dan Kaitannya Dengan Resiliensi [The Concept Of Maqamat Al-Yaqin According To Ibn `Ata' Allah And Its Relation To Resilience]

The identification of Ibn `Ata Allah and his work has been the subject of extensive research conducted by scholars worldwide. According to Ibn `Ata Allah, associating partners with Allah SWT is considered shirk. This theological perspective views the act of attributing individuals or entities as allies to God as a form of polytheism. Allah SWT is attributed with wahdaniyyah, which means that Allah SWT is One in His Essence, His Attributes, and His Actions. This implies that nothing can ever be identical or equal to the essence, attributes, and actions of Allah SWT. This principle is deeply ingrained in the perspective of tawḥid practiced by Muslims. This article examines Maqamat al-Yaqin (the stages of certainty) from the perspective of Ibn `Ata Allah, a renowned Sufi figure. This study explores his understanding of the concepts of tawḥid and taṣawwuf and discusses his arguments in his book al-Tanwir fi Isqat al-Tadbir, regarding the significance of Maqamat al-Yaqin. This study employed a library research methodology to gather data and information. In the data analysis process, data reduction techniques were used to select and prioritize significant elements based on the available data, aiming to provide a clearer description of the data. The findings of this study demonstrate that the exploration of Maqamat al-Yaqin, as examined by Ibn `Ata Allah, has proven advantageous to Muslims by redirecting readers’ attention from the concern of shirk to a sense of appreciation and fortitude in the earthly realm. Moreover, this research indicates the potential alleviation of stress in individuals’ lives.Riwayat hidup Ibn `Ata’ Allah dan hasil karya beliau telah diterokai oleh pengkaji di dalam dan luar negara. Menurut Ibn `Ata’ Allah bahawa sesiapa yang tadbir bersama-sama Allah SWT adalah syirik. Ini adalah kerana bagi Ibn `Ata’ Allah sekiranya tadbir kita bersama dengan tadbir Allah maka ianya syirik kerana mengadakan sekutu bagi Allah. Allah SWT itu bersifat dengan wahdaniyah yang bererti Allah itu Esa pada zatNya, sifatNya dan perbuatanNya. Ini bermakna tiada sesuatu pun yang akan menyamai zat, sifat dan perbuatan Allah SWT. Ianya telah menjadi pemikiran dan kepercayaan dalam perspektif ilmu tauhid yang diamalkan sebagaimana pegangan ahli sunnah wal Jamaah. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji tentang Maqamat al-Yaqin yang dilihat daripada sisi pemikiran seorang tokoh sufi yang terkenal iaitu Ibn `Ata Allah. Artikel ini menyentuh tentang konsep pemikiran beliau di dalam bidang tauhid dan tasawuf, hujah-hujah beliau dalam kitab al-Tanwir fi Isqat al-Tadbir dalam menonjolkan penghayatan terhadap Maqamat al-Yaqin tersebut. Pendekatan kualitatif yang digunakan dalam kajian ini disusuli metode pengumpulan data dan kemudian metode analisis data. Manakala kaedah penganalisisan data menggunakan reduksi data bagi memilih dan memfokuskan pada hal-hal penting berdasarkan data yang ada bagi menggambarkan sesuatu data dengan lebih jelas Hasil kajian menunjukkkan perbahasan Maqamat al-Yaqin yang digunakan Ibn `Ata’ Allah telah memberi manfaat kepada orang Islam dengan mengalihkan tujuan pembaca daripada isu syirik semata-mata kepada penghayatan bagaimana untuk resiliensi di dunia. Di samping, hasil kajian ini dapat mengurangkan tekanan dalam kehidupan

Effect of fibre extraction and enzymatic treatments on the properties of pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) / Khadijah Omar … [et al.]

The pineapple leaves are the waste products of food industries commonly thrown away as solid waste. Potential usage of pineapple leaves as raw materials for textile has not been widely studied in Malaysia although the fibres have been used in cottage industry in the Philippines, India and Japan. One of the drawbacks is the difficulty in obtaining good quality of fibres and yarns due to the inefficient fibre extraction and retting processes.This study focused on the development of enzymatic retting for the pineapple leaf fibre using combination of enzymes and chemicals. Formulations used in this project were cellulase and EDTA, pectinase and EDTA, xylanase and EDTA, and combination of the cellulase, pectinase, xylanase and EDTA. Untreated sample was used for comparison purposes. The morphological and physical properties of the fibre were tested for fibre fineness, moisture content and moisture region, fibre strength, and yarn strength. For the morphological properties combination of xylanase and EDTA was effective because the fibres seemed to be closely associated in bundles and more compact and the fibre surfaces were relatively cleaner and smoother. The finest fibres obtained were those treated with combination of cellulase and EDTA (7.17 micronaire) while the strongest of fibres obtained were from those treated with pectinase and EDTA (0.57 N of force was needed to break the fibre at 2.64% elongation). For the yarn strength, obtained were from those treated with xylanase and EDTA (0.93 N of force was needed to break the yarn at 1.83% elongation). For the lowest moisture content and moisture regain obtained were from those treated with xylanase and EDTA which 12.00% and 13.64 %. Overall compared to conventional treatment, enzymatic treatment using cellulase and EDTA produced the finest fibres, xylanase and EDTA produced the strongest yarn and lowest percentage of the moisture content and moisture region while combination of pectinase and EDTA produced the strongest fibres. This new retting formulation perhaps can be applied in textile industries especially in textile composite in order to produce high quality of pineapple leaf fibres

Effect of fibre extraction and enzymatic treatments on the properties of pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) / Khadijah Omar ... [et al.]

The pineapple leaves are the waste products of food industries commonly thrown away as solid waste. Potential usage of pineapple leaves as raw materials for textile has not been widely studied in Malaysia although the fibres have been used in cottage industry in the Philippines, India and Japan. One of the drawbacks is the difficulty in obtaining good quality of fibres and yarns due to the inefficient fibre extraction and retting processes.This study focused on the development of enzymatic retting for the pineapple leaf fibre using combination of enzymes and chemicals. Formulations used in this project were cellulase and EDTA, pectinase and EDTA, xylanase and EDTA, and combination of the cellulase, pectinase, xylanase and EDTA. Untreated sample was used for comparison purposes. The morphological and physical properties of the fibre were tested for fibre fineness, moisture content and moisture region, fibre strength, and yarn strength. For the morphological properties combination of xylanase and EDTA was effective because the fibres seemed to be closely associated in bundles and more compact and the fibre surfaces were relatively cleaner and smoother. The finest fibres obtained were those treated with combination of cellulase and EDTA (7.17 micronaire) while the strongest of fibres obtained were from those treated with pectinase and EDTA (0.57 N of force was needed to break the fibre at 2.64% elongation). For the yarn strength, obtained were from those treated with xylanase and EDTA (0.93 N of force was needed to break the yarn at 1.83% elongation). For the lowest moisture content and moisture regain obtained were from those treated with xylanase and EDTA which 12.00% and 13.64 %. Overall compared to conventional treatment, enzymatic treatment using cellulase and EDTA produced the finest fibres, xylanase and EDTA produced the strongest yarn and lowest percentage of the moisture content and moisture region while combination of pectinase and EDTA produced the strongest fibres. This new retting formulation perhaps can be applied in textile industries especially in textile composite in order to produce high quality of pineapple leaf fibres

Konsep residivisme: kekaburan definisi, pengukuran dan praktis

Kekaburan yang wujud pada pendefinisian konsep residivisme mewujudkan ketidakseragaman dalam pengukuran kadar pengulangan jenayah yang berlaku sehingga hari ini. Makalah ini merungkaikan implikasi kekaburan pelbagai variasi mengenai definisi konsep residivisme dalam mengukur kadar pengulangan jenayah, serta praktis intervensi yang diambil bagi menangani masalah ulang-laku jenayah di Malaysia. Makalah ini bertitik-tolak daripada sebuah kajian pengajian peringkat doktor falsafah oleh pengkaji pertama mengenai program pasca pembebasan dan jagaan lanjutan untuk bekas banduan di Malaysia. Hasil penulisan makalah telah membawa kepada sebuah cadangan definisi residivisme yang lebih realistik dan sesuai dengan pengalaman para residivis dan praktis sistem pengadilan jenayah di Malaysia. Penelitian terhadap definisi dan pengukuran konsep residivisme ini mampu menyumbang kepada amalan intervensi yang efisien di dalam menangani isu-isu sosial berkaitan dengan masalah ulang-laku jenayah dalam kalangan para residivis di dalam sistem keadilan jenayah di Malaysia

The Evolutions Of Microstructure In Pressureless Sintered Silver Die Attach Material

Sintered silver (Ag) is one of the most promising interconnect materials for high temperature electronics applications due to its potential to withstand harsh and extreme environments. This paper investigates the microstructure evolutions of Ag particles under pressureless sintering in a polymeric adhesive binder at 200 °C, 250 °C, 275 °C, and 300 °C for a duration of 2 hours. The grains, particles, and neck growth observed via two-dimensional Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cuts on the samples at different sintering temperatures were associated with the atomic motions and reduction of surface energy that is the driving force for sintering. In this study, the pressureless sintering process in a polymeric adhesive binder successfully transformed the scattered Ag particles into a compact and dense Ag joining at 300 °C. The electrical conductivity value obtained at 300 °C was 5.2E+05 S/cm, which was the highest among the evaluation samples

Ferromagnetic enhancement of microcrystalline cellulose via chemical reduction method

Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have potential in biological, biomedical, and environmental applications because of their characteristics such as magnetic susceptibility, stability and biocompatibility. However, it also has limitation, such as aggregation of magnetic NP. As a result, coating materials should be used to modify the particles’ outer surface. In this paper, we focused on the synthesis of iron oxide by chemical reduction method and coating it with Fe(III) nitrate, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydrazine. In order to determine effective and economical usage conditions, the coating solution at two different concentrations were prepared. The effect of coating iron oxide with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was prepared at different concentrations of iron (III) nitrate on the nanomaterials with respect to morphological, thermal, magnetic susceptibility. A good morphology images of FeNp-MCC were proved by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra reveals the presence of carbon, oxygen and iron in the synthesized microparticles. TGA analysis showed iron material was successfully formed into the surface of MCC. Lastly, the magnetism results proved that cellulose is strongly interacting with magnetite nanoparticles

Hubungkait antara Pergaulan Rakan Senasib dan Ketagihan Dadah Semula: Kajian Kes di Jalan Chow Kit

Perkembalian bekas banduan yang dibebaskan dari penjara ke dalam persekitaran yang dipenuhi rakan- rakan senasib boleh membawa kepada pengaruh buruk seperti ketagihan dadah dan pengulangan jenayah semula dalam kalangan bekas banduan. Kertas kajian ini telah bertitik tolak dari sebuah kajian doktor falsafah yang mengkaji tentang pengulangan jenayah yang berlaku dalam kalangan bekas banduan di Malaysia. Hasil kajian doktor falsafah tersebut telah mendapati bekas banduan yang sering kembali semula kepada rakan-rakan senasib akibat ketiadaan keluarga. Kajian ini telah mengunakan kaedah kualitatif dengan menemubual 16 orang bekas banduan yang dikenalpasti menerusi teknik persampelan bola salji. Hasil dapatan yang diperolehi mendapati kesemua bekas banduan ini yang berasal dari pelbagai negeri telah bertumpu di sekitar jalan Chow Kit. Penyalahgunaan yang berlaku akibat daripada proses ajakan dan pelawaan menerusi pergaulan yang terjalin. Keadaan ini membuatkan kajian cuba membuktikan wujudnya hubungkait di antara pengaruh rakan-rakan dengan penyalahgunaan dadah semula dalam kalangan bekas banduan

Diffusion Mechanism Of Silver Particles In Polymer Binder For Die Attach Interconnect Technology

Sintered Ag has gained strong interest as an important alternative material for interconnect technology in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor industries specifically for high thermal dissipations and high-speed applications. This material typically consists of metallic particles bounded by polymer binder expected to diffuse at the temperature much lower than its melting temperature. This paper studies the diffusion mechanism between Ag particles and its microstructural change over different heat treatment temperature that leads to the understanding on the formation of bonding particles into a predominantly solid Ag network as a conducting path for the interconnect systems. The surface diffusion initiated between Ag particles as they come into intimate contact through the formation of necking. Further atomic movement and diffusion between the particles neck resulting in volume expansion, necking growth as well as the transformation of the particle shape from spherical into an elongated structure. This results in the formation of a long chain of connecting particles, which transform the Ag particles into a solid Ag network