The historical and future storm surge climate over the South China Sea Sunda Shelf was derived using a barotropic two dimensional model. The atmospheric forcings were obtained from the UKMO regional climate modeling system, PRECIS (Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies), forced at the boundary by the ECHAM4 simulation output under the SRES A2 emission experiment. In general, the model simulates historical sea surface elevation characteristics satisfactory although there is a substantial underestimation for the sea level elevation at local scales. The climate change analysis suggests that the storm surge extreme over the Sunda Shelf is expected to increase along the coastal area of the Gulf of Thailand and east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the future (2071-2100). The projected increment is averagely ~9% over the Sunda Shelf region by the end of the 21st century corresponding to about 5% stronger wind speed as compare to the baseline period of 1961-1990.
Miocene larger benthic foraminifera have been discovered from a limestone unit of the Kalumpang Formation. The limestone is exposed at the Teck Guan Quarry, Tawau, southeast Sabah. The Kalumpang Formation consists predominantly of interbedded mudstone and sandstone (graywacke), conglomerate, limestone, marl, chert and volcanic rocks. Five limestone samples have been collected and processed for petrographic analysis and identification of larger benthic foraminifera. The limestone is classified as packstone and mudstone. A total of seventeen species of larger benthic foraminifera have been identified. The foraminifera are divided into two assemblages namely Assemblage I and Assemblage II. Assemblage I is characterized by the presence of Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) parva, Operculina sp. and Lepidocyclina (Eulepidina) formosa. This assemblage is an indicative of Aquitanian to Burdigalian in age (Early Miocene). Assembalge II comprises of Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) sumatrensis, Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) angulosa, Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) ferreroi Lepidocyclina sp., Miogypsina sp., Katacycloclypeus annulatus, Katacyloclypeus martini, Cycloclypeus carpenteri, Cycloclypeus indopacificus, Cycloclypeus sp., Flosculinella bontangensis, Operculina complanata, Amphistegina bowdenensis and Amphistegina sp. This assemblage is an indicative of Langhian to Serravallian age (Middle Miocene). The foraminiferal assemblages suggest that the depositional environment was a warm tropical shallow-marine at the fore-reef shelf zone.
The statistical characteristics of wind direction that was recorded at maximum wind speed in Peninsular Malaysia for two monsoons from 1999 to 2008 for seven stations were analyzed in this study. Modeled by von Mises distribution, the change in parameters values namely mean direction and concentration parameter was measured. Statistical summary, graphical representations, Watson-William Test and linear-circular correlation are used in the analysis. It is found that there is a significant change in the mean direction of wind over the period of ten years for most stations in Peninsular Malaysia. However, there is a weak relationship between wind direction and wind speed. This study suggested the presence of prominent direction of wind that blows in Peninsular Malaysia by monsoon. This finding may provide useful information on giving a better understanding of the behavior of the wind in Peninsular Malaysia and the potential use of wind as an alternative source of energy.
In most research including environmental research, missing recorded data often exists and has become a common problem for data quality. In this study, several imputation methods that have been designed based on the techniques for functional data analysis are introduced and the capability of the methods for estimating missing values is investigated. Single imputation methods and iterative imputation methods are conducted by means of curve estimation using regression and roughness penalty smoothing approaches. The performance of the methods is compared using a reference data set, the real PM10 data from an air quality monitoring station namely the Petaling Jaya station located at the western part of Peninsular Malaysia. A hundred of the missing data sets that have been generated from a reference data set with six different patterns of missing values are used to investigate the performance of the considered methods. The patterns are simulated according to three percentages (5, 10 and 15) of missing values with respect to two different sizes (3 and 7) of maximum gap lengths (consecutive missing points). By means of the mean absolute error, the index of agreement and the coefficient of determination as the performance indicators, the results have showed that the iterative imputation method using the roughness penalty approach is more flexible and superior to other methods.
Effective disinfection of contact lenses is of paramount importance in the prevention of Acanthamoeba (AK). Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the multi-purpose contact lens disinfecting solutions against Acanthamoeba cysts of four isolates comprising two clinical isolates; HS 5, HTH 73, and two environmental isolates; TTA 1 and TKA 14. Five multi-purpose contact lens disinfecting solutions; Complete®, Renu® fresh™, RevitaLens OcuTec®, Opti-Free® Express® and Solo Care Aqua® were tested on cyst of the four Acanthamoeba isolates. The soaking times were based on manufactures recommendations (4 and 6 h), 8 h and 24 h. Each mixture of the cysts and disinfecting solution was transferred onto non-nutrient agar seeded with Escherichia coli. The agar plates were examined under inverted microscope daily until day 14 to detect the presence of Acanthamoeba trophozoites. All 5 multi-purpose contact lens disinfecting solutions tested were ineffective at killing all Acanthamoeba cyst isolates tested. This indicates that most multi-purpose contact lens disinfecting solutions do not have anti-Acanthamoeba activity necessary to prevent keratitis amongst the contact lens wearers.
Key words: Acanthamoeba; effectiveness; Malaysia; multi-purpose contact lens disinfecting solution
Citation: National Health Morbidity Survey 2015: Kuala Lumpur: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2015
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2015)
Volume I - Methodology & General Findings
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/nhmsreport2015vol1.pdf
Volume II. Non-Communicable Diseases, Risk Factors & Other Health Problems
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/nhmsreport2015vol2.pdf
Volume III. Healthcare Demand
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2015-VolumeIII.pdf
Volume IV. Traditional and Complementary Medicine
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2015-VolumeIV.pdf
Volume V. Report on Smoking Among Malaysian Adults
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2015-VolumeV.pdf
Citation: National Health Morbidity Survey 2011. Kuala Lumpur: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2011
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2011)
Volume I: Methodology and General Findings.
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2011-VolumeI.pdf
Volume II: Non-Communicable Diseases
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2011-VolumeII.pdf
Volume III: Healthcare Demand and Out-of-pocket Health Expenditure http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/NHMS2011-VolumeIII.pdf
Citation: National Health Morbidity Survey 2017: Adolescent Mental Health Survey. Kuala Lumpur: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2017
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2017)
Citation: National Health Morbidity Survey 2016: Maternal Child Health Survey. Kuala Lumpur: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2016
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2016)
Volume I.
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/2016/NHMS2016ReportVolumeI.pdf
Volume II.
http://iku.gov.my/images/IKU/Document/REPORT/2016/NHMS2016ReportVolumeII-MaternalChildHealthFindingsv2.pdf
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a major cause of disability and significantly reduce quality of life (QOL). There is limited information about knee associated problems and functional mobility among Malaysian adults with KOA. The aim of our study was to examine knee associated problems and functional mobility among this population. Forty-five (45) adults with KOA with mean age of 65.02 ± 8.083 were recruited from Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, UKM. Knee associated problems and functional mobility were measured using Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS) and Timed-Up and Go (TUG) test respectively. The mean score and standard deviation for TUG test was 11.44 ± 2.69 seconds. Median scores (with interquartile ranges [IQR]) for the KOOS subscale domains were; Symptoms: 80.56, (69.44 to 91.67); Pain: 71.43 (50 to 78.57); Functional Activities of Daily Living: 82.3 (67.65 to 86.76); Sports and Recreation Function: 30 (20 to 60); and Knee-Related Quality of Life: 50 (25 to 75). Generally, participants’ TUG test performance showed that time taken to complete the test was higher than the reference values (7.14 to 8.43 seconds) identified among Malaysian community dwelling older adults with low to high risk of falls. The KOOS scores in adults with KOA in our study is similar to previous reports with Sport and Recreation Function and QOL domains been the most affected. It is important to improve functional mobility and balance in order to decrease falls risk and optimise sport and recreation function and QOL among adults with KOA.
Study site: Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Studies on the organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) is still new in Malaysia, especially among teachers. The importance of OCB in an organisation has been proven to improve individual performance and productivity. Meanwhile, personality plays an important role in influencing OCB. Therefore, this study will identify whether a teacher's personality influences OCB. This quantitative study was carried out by collecting data from a questionnaire distributed to 287 people that consists of teachers from SBT (High Performance Schools) and daily schools in primary schools around Putrajaya. The Big Five Inventory Instrument by John and Srivastava (1999) is used to measure the five-factor personality and the measurement scale of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) by Podsakoff et al. (1990) to measure OCB. Data was analysed by multiple regression using Statistical Package for Social Science version 23. The results showed that neuroticism, agreeableness and openness influenced OCB among teachers as a whole. The impact of this study can help the MOE identify the characteristics of the candidate teachers who match the OCB required in the selection and placement of teachers. The MOE can also devise self-awareness intervention modules to maintain and improve OCB among teachers. Future studies need to examine the influence of personality upon the more specific OCBs so that the performance of teachers is always maintained at its peak.
The Semantan Formation which is Middle to Upper Triassic age, comprises a rapidly alternating sequence of carbonaceous shale, siltstone and rhyolite tuff with a few lenses of chert, conglomerate and recrystallised limestone. The shale and tuff make up the bulk of the sequence. Jaafar Ahmad (1976) was introduced the formation name of the rock sequence in Karak-Temerloh area, but the similar sequence (in term of lithology, paleontology and structural pattern) found in the other areas were given different names. After an extensive study, the following formations or part of them, may be include in the Semantan Formation; Raub Series (Scrivenor 1911); Calcareous Formation (Richardson 1939); Calcareous Series (Richardson 1947); Younger arenaceous Series (Alexander 1956); Raub Group (Alexander 1959); Jengka Pass Formation (Ichikawa et al. 1966); Kerdau Formation (Burton 1973a); part of Jelai Formation (Burton 1973a); Gemas Formation (Lum 1977); Jurong Formation (Burton 1973a); Pahang Volcanic Series (Hutchison 1973c).
Formasi Semantan merupakan jujukan batuan sedimen yang berusia Trias Tengah - Akhir di Jalur Tengah Semenanjung Malaysia. Jujukan ini terdiri daripada selang lapis batuan syal berkarbon, batu lodak, dan batu pasir yang kebanyakannya bertuf, serta terdapat kekanta konglomerat, batu kapur dan rijang dalam selang lapis ini. Syal adalah unit yang paling dominan dalam formasi ini. Jaafar Ahmad (1976) menamakan jujukan ini untuk kawasan Karak - Temerloh, tetapi jujukan yang serupa (dari segi litologi, paleontologi dan gaya struktur) juga ditemui di kawasan lain, tetapi dipanggil dengan nama lain. Dari hasil kajian menyeluruh yang telah dijalankan, didapati nama-nama unit batuan berikut atau sebahagian daripadanya mungkin merupakan penamaan yang serupa untuk Formasi Semantan, iaitu Siri Raub (Scrivenor 1911), Formasi Berkapur (Richardson 1939), Siri Berkapur (Richardson 1947), Siri Arenit Muda (Alexander 1958), sebahagian Kumpulan Raub (Alexander 1959), Formasi Jengka Pass (Ichikawa et al. 1966), Formasi Kerdau (Burton 1973a), sebahagian Formasi Jelai (Burton 1973a), Formasi Gemas (Lum 1977), Formasi Jurong (Burton 1973a) dan Siri Volkano Pahang (Hutchison 1973).
This paper analyzes the asymmetric long memory volatility dependency of the interday prices of Composite Index (CI) at Bursa Malaysia by using GARCH family models. The GARCH type models are used with the assumption that the innovations series follow either one of the following distributions: Gaussian, Student -t and skewed Student -t. The stock returns' long memory dependency is determined using the Hurst parameter. The long memory and asymmetric volatility are modelled by fractionally integrated GARCH models. It is found that the asymmetric and long memory GARCH models with skewed student-t distribution give better predictive ability on the volatility of the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI).
Kajian ini bertujuan untuk memetakan kes kemortalan bayi mengikut daerah di Semenanjung Malaysia bagi tahun 1991 hingga 2000. Penganggaran risiko relatif berdasarkan kaedah Bayes empirik telah digunakan dalam kajian ini. Tiga kaedah penganggaran parameter dihuraikan iaitu kaedah momen, kaedah kebolehjadian maksimum dan kaedah penganggaran gabungan momen dan kebolehjadian maksimum. Keteguhan anggaran parameter yang diperoleh diuji menggunakan kaedah Bootstrap. Hasil kajian mendapati jurang antara kawasan berisiko rendah dengan kawasan berisiko tinggi adalah lebih besar pada awal dekad 2000 berbanding pada awal dekad 1990-an walaupun pada dasarnya kadar mortaliti bayi secara keseluruhannya adalah semakin berkurangan pada peringkat nasional. Kawasan pantai timur Semenanjung Malaysia masih pada takuk yang sama iaitu masih berada dalam kategori berisiko tinggi sepanjang tempoh yang dikaji. Seterusnya, gambaran terdapatnya tompokan risiko juga turut terpapar dalam peta yang dihasilkan. Berdasarkan kaedah Bootstrap, parameter-parameter yang dianggarkan dalam kajian ini adalah teguh.
Sejumlah 51 takson pteridofit yang tergolong dalam 30 genus dan 18 famili telah direkodkan di Hutan Simpan Angsi, Negeri Sembilan. Ini termasuk lapan spesies lokofit dalam dua genus dan dua famili. Jumlah ini merangkumi lapan peratus daripada 647 spesies yang telah dilaporkan di Semenanjung Malaysia. Famili terbesar yang direkodkan terdiri daripada Selaginellaceae dan Pteridaceae masing-masing dengan tujuh spesies diikuti oleh Polypodiaceae (enam spesies) dan Tectariaceae (empat spesies). Paku-pakis terestrial merupakan yang paling banyak direkodkan iaitu 60% daripada keseluruhan takson yang didapati diikuti dengan paku pakis epifit (24%) dan paku pakis batuan (16%).
The breeding activities of the Dwarf Toad, Ingerophrynus parvus were observed under natural conditions at Sungai Junjong, Kulim, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia for a period of 12 months. Breeding parameters, such as calling activities, amplecant pairs, eggs deposition and presence of tadpoles were examined every week in each month. Pearson correlation was used to analyse the relationship between rainfall and each breeding parameter. The results showed positive relationships between rainfall and calling activities (r=0.74), between rainfall and amplexus activities (r=0.52), and between rainfall and spawning activities (0.81).
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation-plus (REDD+) is considered as an important mitigation strategy against global warming. However, the implementation of REDD+ can adversely affect local people who have been practicing shifting cultivation for generations. We analyzed Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper images of 1990 and 2009 to quantifying deforestation and forest degradation at Lubuk Antu District, a typical rural area of Sarawak, Malaysia. The results showed significant loss of intact forest at 0.9% per year, which was substantially higher than the rate of Sarawak. There were increases of oil palm and rubber areas but degraded forest, the second largest land cover type, had increased considerably. The local people were mostly shifting cultivators, who indicated readiness of accepting the REDD+ mechanism if they were given compensation. We estimated the monthly willingness to accept (WTA) at RM462, which can be considered as the opportunity cost of foregoing their existing shifting cultivation. The monthly WTA was well correlated with their monthly household expenses. Instead of cash payment, rubber cultivation scheme was the most preferred form of compensation.
Temporal changes of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) communities were investigated at the study area of Gunung Pulai Recreational Forest, Johor, Malaysia. Taxa diversity were also studied to determine the seasonality impact on certain benthic communities. Sampling of aquatic insects were carried out from November 2012 to July 2013 using rectangular dip net. As a result, more EPT were found during the dry season (1533 individuals) compared to wet season (321 individuals). Concomitantly, higher diversity was also recorded in the dry season. Among these three investigated orders, Trichoptera represented the most diverse community with three families recorded, followed by Plecoptera (2 families) and Ephemeroptera (1 family). Caddisfly family Hydropsychidae were found to be abundant in the study area. Therefore, seasonality impact on EPT assemblage at Gunung Pulai Recreational Forest is extremely evident.
The aim of this paper was to identify the determinants that influence vehicle theft by applying a negative binomial regression model. The identification of these determinants is very important to policy-makers, car-makers and car owners, as they can be used to establish practical steps for preventing or at least limiting vehicle thefts. In addition, this paper also proposed a crime mapping application that allows us to identify the most risky areas for vehicle theft. The results from this study can be utilized by local authorities as well as management of internal resource planning of insurance companies in planning effective strategies to reduce vehicle theft. Indirectly, this paper has built ingenuity by combining information obtained from the database of Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia and insurance companies to pioneer the development of location map of vehicle theft in Malaysia.