Accident prediction model at un-signalized intersections using multiple regression method

Nowadays, accident increased relatively from year to year although many programs have been carried out by the authority in order to reduce the number of accident. In Johor areas, seventeen accident hotspots have been identified in the state. The road accident increase proportionate to growth in population, economic in development, industrialization and motorization that encountered by the country. The roadway geometric and traffic condition are among important factors in causes to traffic accidents. Field work is carried out to collect data such as traffic volume, mean speed of vehicles, lane width, shoulder width, lane used, number of intersection and also number legs intersection at the selected locations. Metrocount and odometer were used for this purpose. By considering the factors that contribute to the accident, this study was carried out to develop the accident prediction model using Multiple Regression approach. Accident prediction models are invaluable tools that have many applications in road safety analysis. In accident analysis, statistical models have been used in highway and traffic safety studies. From the results shows that accident point weigtage can be explained by increase of traffic volume and vehicle speed in Federal Route 001 and Federal Route 024 are the contributors to traffic accidents. Meanwhile, an increment of lane width and shoulder width will reduce the weighting point rates Finally, the Accident Prediction Model developed in this study not only can be used to reduce the number of accidents in the future but also for intersection treatment or upgrading. Using the model, appropriate design parameters of un-signalized intersection could be specified

Malpernakanan di Kalangan Penduduk Dewasa di Hulu Terengganu

The assessment of nutritional status of adults was carried out in two villages in Hulu Trengganu in 1982. The aims of the study were to assess the extent of malnutrition among the adult population in the rural areas and to identity socioeconomic variables which could significantly be related to their nutritional status. The study population consisted of 40 males and 67Jemales (N = 107) who were either heads of household or their spouses. The main indicator of nutritional status employed in the study was body mass index of the respondents; however, other anthropometric measurements were also considered. Results of the study indicated that some degree of malnutrition was prevalent in the adult population; 16% of the population under study weighed less than 70% standard and 57.5% of the males weighed less than 80% standard. Based on the body mass index cut off point, it was found that 30.8% of the respondents were malnourishea. Hemoglobin values also show that 38.5% the female respondents suffered from nutritional anemia (n = 62). More than half of the females have hemotocrit values below normal (n = 62). Among the socioeconomic variables which had a significant correlation with nutritional status were education, income and monthly food expenditure

Tests on a Small Rainfall Simulator for Evaluating Soil Erodibility

A selected number of upland soils were subjected, in situ, to simulated rain of short duration in order to establish a methodology for evaluating erodibility of Malaysian soils. The rainfall simulator produces an 18mm shower in three minutes from an average height of OAm, falling onto a 0.0625m2 test plot area at 20% slope. Results from both the surface and sub-surface horizons show less variability in the soil loss between plots than between successive runs on the same plot. Mean soil loss ranged between 5A2g and 12. 66g per plot. Soil loss was found to be not very sensitive to small variations in antecedent soil moisture around the field capacity value. The method appears capable of discriminating responses between soils and is thus, suited to the study of erodibility of upland soils in Malaysia

Facebook use and personalization among Malaysian politicians during the 14th Malaysian general election = Penggunaan Facebook dan personalisasi oleh ahli politik Malaysia semasa Pilihanraya Umum Ke-14

Politicians today are very much reliant on Facebook to communicate with the public and promote their political ideologies. In an attempt to explore how the politicians use Facebook during election campaigns, this article explores official Facebook posts by three prime ministerial candidates during the 14th Malaysian General Election. Content analysis of the candidates’ Facebook posts showed that they strategically use Facebook to create and maintain a positive image rather than promoting issues and engaging in discussions with the public. The candidates differed in terms of the amount of posts but had minor differences in the characteristics of their Facebook contents. All of them focused on promoting their personal image suggesting that Facebook is encouraging the personalization of politics. ******************************** Ahli politik hari ini sangat bergantung kepada Facebook untuk berkomunikasi dengan orang ramai dan mempromosikan ideologi politik mereka. Dalam usaha untuk meneroka bagaimana ahli politik menggunakan Facebook semasa kempen pilihan raya, artikel ini meneroka hantaran Facebook rasmi oleh tiga calon perdana menteri semasa Pilihanraya Umum Malaysia ke-14. Analisis kandungan hantaran Facebook sampel calon itu menunjukkan mereka secara strategik menggunakan Facebook untuk mencipta dan mengekalkan imej positif daripada mempromosikan isu semasa atau terlibat dalam perbincangan dengan orang ramai. Hasil kajian juga mendapati walaupun jumlah hantaran adalah berbeza tetapi mereka berkongsi ciri-ciri kandungan hantaran yang senada. Mereka juga menggunakan Facebook untuk promosi imej peribadi masing-masing. Oleh itu, dapatan ini membuktikan Facebook telah membentuk keperibadian berpolitik

Full body harness

The full body safety harness is a key part of an active fall arrest system. The harness serves two purposes, first, distributing fall forces safely across a worker's body in the event of a free fall, and second, providing freedom of movement sufficient to allow the worker to effectively perform his or her job. The complete body harness incorporates the characteristics of a sit harness that supports the hips and upper legs as well as a chest harness that supports the chest and shoulders. The complete body structure includes the human torso when correctly used and helps to keep it upright during a fall case

Somatotype and Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors Among Government Employees In Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Aim: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the body somatotype and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among government employees from Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Methods: In this research, 308 government employees were recruited as respondents. Body somatotype was determined using the Heath and Carter (1990) method. The risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were determined by measuring fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level and triglycerides level. Results: Majority of the respondents were categorized as endomorphy (84.7%), followed by mesomorphy (11.7%) and ectomorphy (3.6%). Means of fasting blood cholesterol level, triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol among respondents were 5.57 mmol/L, 1.55 mmol/L, 1.25 mmol/L and 3.63 mmol/L, respectively. The fasting blood glucose of respondents was in the normal range (5.02 mmol/L), while cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol were on borderline high. Mean HDL level of respondents were below desirable level. Conclusion: We found that there were significant correlation between ectomorphy components with blood cholesterol, LDL, HDL and blood glucose level; mesomorphy with LDL cholesterol level; and endomorphy with HDL and blood glucose level among respondents (p<0.05). As a conclusion, this study has provided useful insights towards the relationship between somatotype components and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.Objetivo: este estudio transversal se realizó para determinar el somatotipo corporal y los factores de riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares entre empleados gubernamentales de Kuala Terengganu, Malasia. Métodos: En esta investigación, se reclutó como encuestados a 308 empleados del gobierno. El somatotipo corporal se determinó mediante el método de Heath y Carter (1990). Los factores de riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares se determinaron midiendo la glucosa en sangre en ayunas, el colesterol total (CT), el nivel de colesterol LDL, el nivel de colesterol HDL y el nivel de triglicéridos. Resultados: La mayoría de los encuestados fueron categorizados como endomorfia (84,7%), seguida de mesomorfia (11,7%) y ectomorfia (3,6%). Las medias del nivel de colesterol en sangre en ayunas, triglicéridos, colesterol HDL y LDL entre los encuestados fueron 5,57 mmol / L, 1,55 mmol / L, 1,25 mmol / L y 3,63 mmol / L, respectivamente. La glucosa en sangre en ayunas de los encuestados estaba en el rango normal (5,02 mmol / L), mientras que el colesterol, los triglicéridos y el colesterol LDL estaban en el límite alto. El nivel medio de HDL de los encuestados estaba por debajo del nivel deseable. Conclusión: Encontramos que existe una correlación significativa entre los componentes de la ectomorfia con el colesterol en sangre, LDL, HDL y nivel de glucosa en sangre; mesomorfia con nivel de colesterol LDL; y endomorfia con HDL y nivel de glucosa en sangre entre los encuestados (p <0,05). Como conclusión, este estudio ha proporcionado información útil sobre la relación entre los componentes del somatotipo y los factores de riesgo de las enfermedades cardiovasculares

Differentiation of Lactobacillus-probiotic strains by visual comparison of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles

In the present study, distinctive RAPD fingerprints were generated for 12 Lactobacillus-probiotic strains from 5 Lactobacillus species (L. brevis, L. reuteri, L. gallinarium, L. salivarius and L. panis) after optimization of the RAPD parameters such as MgCl2, Taq polymerase, primer concentration and type of primer. The strains were differentiated under the same PCR protocol but different concentration of primer OPM-05 (50 pmole to differentiate the 5 L. brevis strains and 75 pmole to differentiate 2 strains of L. gallinarium, 3 strains of L. reuteri, a strain of L. panis and L. salivarius). The RAPD fingerprints generated could be differentiated by visual comparison of the profiles, without being analysed by relevant software. This allows specific, rapid, immediate and convenient identification of the Lactobacillus strains

The efficacy and durability of three desensitising agents for management of hypersensitivity teeth: an in-vitro study

Introduction: Dentine hypersensitivity (DH) is a brief and acute pain produced when dentine is subjected to various stimuli. The treatment for DH has been classified by mode of delivery as at-home and in-office therapy. It was proven that desensitising agents have the capacity for occluding dentinal tubules. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and durability of desensitising agents for management of DH. Materials and methods: Twelve non-carious extracted human permanent premolars were sectioned into dentine layer. The dentine disc specimens were divided into 4 groups. Each group were applied with 8% arginine-calcium toothpaste, 0.24% sodium fluoride toothpaste, potassium nitrate toothpaste and distilled water respectively. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is used to evaluate the magnitude changes of dentinal tubules post treatment with the desensitising toothpastes in terms of the efficacy and durability at day 1, week 1 and week 3 after application. The data will be analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 19.0). Results: All toothpastes demonstrated significant dentinal tubule occlusions. However, 8% arginine-calcium toothpaste showed the greatest percentage of occlusion at day 1 followed by potassium nitrate toothpaste and sodium fluoride toothpaste. After 3 weeks, 8% arginine-calcium toothpaste remained the greatest percentage of dentinal tubules occlusion. Conclusion: The result showed that 8% arginine-calcium toothpaste is the most efficient and has longer durability among the other toothpaste. Therefore, with this finding it could help the patient for selection of desensitising toothpaste in managing the DH

Morphological Changes Related to Adherence Properties of Selected East Coast Malaysia Condiments on Dentine Pulp Tissues Preparations.

Local condiments consumption is a key constituent of diets throughout the east coast of Peninsu1ar Malaysia. Little evidence-based knowledge is known of the morphological changes that may impinge on oral health due to consumption of these local condiments

Derivation of radiative transfer parameters using image-based technique / Wan Noniafida Ab Manan

The correction of atmospheric effects is very essential because visible bands of shorter wavelengths are highly affected by atmospheric scattering especially of Rayleigh scattering. In this processes, the most important parameters need to be known is the optical characteristics of the atmosphere. The most challenge is to obtain accurate values for those parameters and limited availability of the atmospheric correction parameters in the analyses. In available atmospheric correction algorithms, lack of study has found in emphasizing the appropriate chosen of atmospheric models with specific atmospheric condition. Thus, the question was set in this study are which criteria can be used to justify which atmospheric models is suitable to be applied. This study is attempting to answer whether selection of atmospheric models is based on regional atmospheric condition or geographic location. To prove this, it will require the information from aerosol optical parameters. Therefore, in determining the appropriate atmospheric model for different urban types; the atmospheric parameters (visibility and aerosol loading) need to be estimated. The proposed method is a combination of the radiative transfer equation and dark target subtraction technique. Two important atmospheric parameters in the radiative transfer equation which are visibility and aerosol loading are estimated from the image itself to be as an input in atmospheric modelling. ATCOR-2 was used to perform different atmospheric models (maritime and urban) which can represent regional climatic condition in Kuala Lumpur and Penang Island. Dark pixel target in the scene was subtracted from visible (blue band) and near-infrared (NIR) band of Landsat image to optimize the aerosol loading retrieved from scattering and absorption factor. By relating the determined aerosol optical thickness with visibility values, urban model at the visible (blue band) on image 2005 for both sites, showed a high correlation coefficient, / = 0.8720 for Kuala Lumpur and r = 0.8896 for Penang Island. The results showed an agreement pattern with Forster’s aerosol optical thickness versus visibility and from Tanre’s model. However, maritime model and NIR band shows the opposite pattern of the established model. Thus, urban model in visible (blue band) has been chosen for both sites. Results presented in this study had demonstrated that determination of suitable atmospheric model can be outlined on four different types of urban which based on the regional climate condition. It has been shown that determined the aerosol for both sites is highly correlated to the visibility range from 10 to 50 km. Study also found that optical satellite remotely sensed image data (Landsat TM blue band) can be used to determine the visibility value through the darkest pixel atmospheric correction algorithms