This paper presents the application of active contours region-based method of image segmentation to Computed Tomography (CT) images. Previous researchers applied this region based method on Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI), in vivo images and synthetic images which contain intensity inhomogeneities. In this paper, a different modality known as Computed Tomography (CT) scan was applied. CT scan also produces images containing intensity inhomogeneity, and it is predicted that this method provide good segmentation results. The main objective of applying this method is to check its applicability on CT images. The segmentation process begins by finding the area of interest (black region). Results from this experiment are then used in estimating time of death. Experimental results show that this method has successfully segmented the black region when some parameters changed, provided that the regions are closed to each other. If the black regions are located far from each other, then this method will only segment certain areas.
One of the ways to calculate dividend for an investment is by using average lowest balance (ALB) concept. The existing calculation of dividend based on ALB concept can only be done yearly. This paper discusses on the development of a general formula to calculate the accumulated amount for any period of time, based on the ALB concept that considers different yearly dividend rates. The patterns for each variable and coefficient for the calculated yearly accumulated amount were analysed. The general forms of each variable and coefficient were then combined to form the general formula for calculating the accumulated amount. Validity of the general formula is confirmed by calculating the percentage errors and proven by using mathematical induction.
Feature selection has been widely applied in many areas such as classification of spam emails, cancer cells, fraudulent claims, credit risk, text categorisation and DNA microarray analysis. Classification involves building predictive models to predict the target variable based on several input variables (features). This study compares filter and wrapper feature selection methods to maximise the classifier accuracy. The logistic regression was used as a classifier while the performance of the feature selection methods was based on the classification accuracy, Akaike information criteria (AIC), Bayesian information criteria (BIC), Area Under Receiver operator curve (AUC), as well as sensitivity and specificity of the classifier. The simulation study involves generating data for continuous features and one binary dependent variable for different sample sizes. The filter methods used are correlation based feature selection and information gain, while the wrapper methods are sequential forward and sequential backward elimination. The simulation was carried out using R, an open-source programming language. Simulation results showed that the wrapper method (sequential forward selection and sequential backward elimination) methods were better than the filter method in selecting the correct features.
This paper is an attempt to perceive and order guns using a two-layer neural system model taking into account a feedforward backpropagation calculation. Numerical properties from the joined pictures were utilised for enhanced gun characterisation execution. Inputs of the system model were 747 pictures blackmailed from the discharging pin impression of five differing guns model, Parabellum Vector SPI 9mm. Components created from the dataset were further grouped into preparation set (523 components), testing set (112 components) and acceptance set (112 components). Under managed learning, exact results exhibited that a two-layer BPNN of 11-11-5 arrangement, with tansig/purelin exchange capacities and a “trainlm” preparing calculation, had productively delivered 87% right aftereffect of grouping. The order result serves to be progressed and contrasted with the previous works. Finally, the joined picture districts can offer some accommodating data on the grouping of gun.
Neurocomputing has been adjusted effectively in time series forecasting activities, yet the vicinity of exceptions that frequently happens in time arrangement information might contaminate the system preparing information. This is because of its capacity to naturally realise any example without earlier suspicions and loss of sweeping statement. In principle, the most widely recognised calculation for preparing the system is the backpropagation (BP) calculation, which inclines toward minimisation of standard slightest squares (OLS) estimator, particularly the mean squared mistake (MSE). Regardless, this calculation is not by any stretch of the imagination strong when the exceptions are available, and it might prompt bogus expectation of future qualities. In this paper, we exhibit another calculation which controls the firefly algorithm of least median squares (FFA-LMedS) estimator for neural system nonlinear autoregressive moving average (ANN-NARMA) model enhancement to provide betterment for the peripheral issue in time arrangement information. Moreover, execution of the solidified model in correlation with another hearty ANN-NARMA models, utilising M-estimators, Iterative LMedS and Particle Swarm Optimisation on LMedS (PSO-LMedS) with root mean squared blunder (RMSE) qualities, is highlighted in this paper. In the interim, the actual monthly information of Malaysian Aggregate, Sand and Roof Materials value was taken from January 1980 to December 2012 (base year 1980=100) with various levels of anomaly issues. It was found that the robustified ANN-NARMA model utilising FFA-LMedS delivered the best results, with the RMSE values having almost no mistakes at all in all the preparation, testing and acceptance sets for every single distinctive variable. Findings of the studies are hoped to assist the regarded powers including the PFI development tasks to overcome cost overwhelms.
PM10 has been identified as being a common problem in Malaysia and many other countries all over the world. A Markov chain probability model is found to fit the average daily PM10 concentrations data of urban station (Shah Alam) and background area station (Jerantut) in Malaysia. This study aims to identify the occurrence of polluted and non-polluted days affected by PM10 concentrations based on data for 12 years’ period (2002-2013). The first order transition probability matrix of a Markov chain model and a two-state Markov chain, which are polluted days (1) and non-polluted days (0), were used for this purpose. The threshold value used in this study is referring to WHO 2006 guidelines (50µgm-3). Results of the analysis shows that there is a high probability that the next day event depends on what has happened on the previous day. The recurrence of the polluted day for Shah Alam is 4-5 days, while 2-3 days for Jerantut. By fitting the first order of Markov chain model, the results show that the higher order of Markov chain model is needed in order to get the best fitted distribution of polluted events at these two monitoring stations. Thus, the prediction of PM10 concentrations event can be made by considering the conditions of the previous day event;
Takaful, the Islamic alternative to conventional insurance, is based on the concept of social solidarity, cooperation and mutual indemnification of losses of members. The ‘transparency’ offered in the Takaful system will eliminates the elements of gharar (uncertainty), maisir (gambling) and riba (usury). Due to the dynamicity and complexity of cash flows in the Takaful system, the application of system dynamic approach is used in order to discover any possible internal and external impacts in the assumptions used in determining contributions rate from the participants. The traditional approach, which is the deterministic approach, has limitations where changes of the actual experience may cause operators to stop issuing the contract or product. Using system dynamic, these possible effects from the actual experience can be determined in terms of the amounts transferred to shareholder’s fund and results obtained can assist the management to decide which assumptions to be used so that the operators will continue solvent and making profit at the same time. The results of System Dynamic simulation analysis in this paper represent the impacts of component changes in the Takaful model. The results can be used as decision tools for the Takaful operators to determine the best assumptions and strategies in order to maximise their profits.
Diabetes is one of the major life-threatening health problems worldwide today. It is one of the most fastgrowing diseases that cause many health complications and a leading cause of decreasing life expectancy and high mortality rate. Many studies have suggested several different types of intervention to treat Type 1 diabetes such as insulin therapy, islet transplantation, islet xenotransplantation and stem cell therapy. However, issues regarding the efficacy, cost and safety of these treatments are not always well addressed. For decades, diabetes treatments with few side effects and long-lasting insulin independence has remained one of the most challenging tasks facing scientists. Among the treatments mentioned above, application of human islet transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes has progressed rapidly with significant achievement. Again, the lack of appropriate donors for islet transplantation and its high cost have led researchers to look for other alternatives. In this review, we discuss very pertinent issues that are related to diabetes treatments, their availability, advantages, disadvantages and also cost,
This study investigated distributions, composition patterns, sources and potential toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) pollution in surface sediments from the Kim Kim River and Segget River, Peninsular Malaysia. The samples were extracted using Soxhlet extraction, purified using two-step silica gel column chromatography and then analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total PAH concentrations ranged from 95.17 to 361.24 ng g-1 dry weight (dw) and 330.09 to 552.76 ng g-1 dw in surface sediments from the Kim Kim and Segget Rivers, respectively. Source type identification using PAH molecular indices and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicated that PAHs were mostly of pyrogenic origin, while in some stations petrogenic sources had a significant portion. A PAH toxicity assessment using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), mean effect range-median quotient (M-ERM-Q), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalent concentration and BaP toxicity equivalent quotient (TEQcarc) indicated low probability of toxicity for both the Kim Kim and Segget Rivers. Moreover, the human health risk assessment applying Cancer Riskingestion and Cancer Riskdermal indicated that probabilistic health risk to humans via ingestion and dermal pathways from sediments of the Kim Kim and Segget Rivers can be categorised as low-to-moderate risk.
Ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract refer to any appreciable depth of break in the mucosa lining that may involve submucosa. Common types of ulcer include peptic, gastric and duodenal ulcer, which may lead to chronic inflammation. Ulcers may be caused by excessive alcohol intake or prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), in addition to several other factors. Conventional medication such as Omeprazole (proton pump inhibitor) and Ranitidine (H2 blockers) for management of ulcers may cause severe side effects such as myelosupression and abnormal heart rhythm. This has driven researchers to explore the potential of natural products for management of ulcers with reduced side effects. Kelulut honey (KH) is a type of honey that is produced by stingless bees from the Trigona species. It is believed to have a lot of medicinal properties such as being antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic. Yet, no scientific study has been carried out on its antiulcer properties. This study was carried out to determine the antiulcer properties of KH. Eighteen male Sprague dawley rats (5 to 6 weeks old, weighing between 200 and 300 g) were divided into three groups (n=6). The groups were 1) normal control group (without ulcer, without KH), 2) positive control group (with ulcer, without KH) and 3) treatment group (with ulcer, treated with KH). The treatment, KH (1183 mg/kg), was given twice daily for 30 consecutive days by oral administration. On Day 31, the rats were induced with absolute ethanol (5 mL/kg) via oral administration after being fasted for 24 h and were sacrificed 15 min after the induction. The stomach was collected for macroscopic and histopathological evaluation. Pretreatment with KH significantly reduced (p
Biometric authentication refers to the use of measurable characteristics (or features) of the human body to provide secure, reliable and convenient access to a computer system or physical environment. These features (physiological or behavioural) are unique to individual subjects because they are usually obtained directly from their owner’s body. Multibiometric authentication systems use a combination of two or more biometric modalities to provide improved performance accuracy without offering adequate protection against security and privacy attacks. This paper proposes a multibiometric matrix transformation based technique, which protects users of multibiometric systems from security and privacy attacks. The results of security and privacy analyses show that the approach provides high-level template security and user privacy compared to previous one-way transformation techniques.
The main focus of this study was to obtain the optimum alkaline treatment for banana fibre and the its effect on the mechanical and chemical properties of banana fibre, its surface topography, its heat resistivity, as well as its interfacial bonding with epoxy matrix. Banana fibre was treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) under various treatment conditions. The treated fibres were characterised using FTIR spectroscopy. The morphology of a single fibre observed under a Digital Image Analyser indicated slight reduction in fibre diameter with increasing NaOH concentration. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results showed the deteriorating effect of alkali, which can be seen from the removal of impurities and increment in surface roughness. The mechanical analysis indicates that 6% NaOH treatment with a two-hour immersion time gave the highest tensile strength. The adhesion between single fibre and epoxy resin was analysed through the micro-droplet test. It was found that 6% NaOH treatment with a two-hour immersion yielded the highest interfacial shear stress of 3.96 MPa. The TGA analysis implies that alkaline treatment improved the thermal and heat resistivity of the fibre.
Internal obstruction of the upper airways can be due to infection, anaphylactic reaction, congenital anomaly, foreign body inhalation or mass. This case report is of a lady who presented with upper airway obstruction due to subglottic ectopic thyroid tissue. She had a history of noisy breathing and progressive neck swelling since childhood. Biochemical results showed hypothyroid features while flexible scope showed tracheal stenosis. Computed Tomography (CT) detected a goitre and a posterior laryngeal mass at subglottic region causing laryngeal stenosis. The MRI helped to better delineate the soft tissue details of this mass. while elective direct laryngoscope showed a firm mass arising from the trachea. Debulking of the mass was done and histopathological diagnosis was nodular thyroid hyperplasia. Treatment with L-thyroxine was instituted with good clinical improvement. An ectopic thyroid gland can develop if its normal migration is halted along this tract during embryogenesis. Subglottic location of ectopic thyroid is extremely rare. However, ectopic thyroid tissue in the larynx should be considered as a possible diagnosis causing upper airway obstruction, especially in a patient that is clinically hypothyroid and having a concurrent goitre.
This paper highlights a potentially life threatening and unsuspected case of multiple small pseudoaneurysms from the thyrocervical and costocervical branch of the left subclavian artery that was spontaneously ruptured. The cause was not suspected prior to thoracic CT angiography (CTA) because the initial pre-emptive diagnosis was only trivial spontaneous hydropneumothorax which became serious after a chest tube was inserted.
This study investigated the use of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and agitated-bed extraction (ABE) to improve extraction efficiency of dyes from exocarp and mesocarp of Cocos nucifera. The UAE method was carried out at a frequency of 37 kHz and power of 150 W at 30°C for 1 hour and ABE technique was performed at 30°C for 24 hours at the agitation of 150 rpm. The effects of different solvent types (methanol, ethanol and acetone) and the different percentage of solvent (20%-70%) were determined. The results showed although the colourant yield increased with the increase of solvent concentration up to 60%, statistic value indicated no significant difference (p > 0.05) for the value of yield using solvent range from 20% to 70% for both UAE and ABE methods. Therefore, the solvent concentration of 20% was selected as the optimum concentration for each type of solvent used for both ABE and UAE methods. In comparison, higher extraction yields were achieved by UAE method where the optimal yield of the colourant of the mesocarp was 7.6% using acetone as solvent and the exocarp yielded about 6.4% using acetone or methanol. The recovery of natural colourant using ultrasound was found to be highly dependent on the type of solvents (acetone > methanol > ethanol) for both mesocarp and exocarp. The present study suggests that UAE method should be employed for hauling out colouring materials from exocarp and mesocarp due to its effectiveness in terms of time and economical usage of solvent.
In this study, simulation and optimisation of the purification of bioethanol from an azeotropic mixture was done using the Aspen HYSYS and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM), respectively, to achieve an acceptable bioethanol content with minimal energy use. The objective of this study is to develop the simulation process of bioethanol production from a fermentation effluent. Additionally, the effects of parameters such as solvent temperature, number of entrainer feed stage, mass flow rate and third components of the process for production of bioethanol were studied. As bioethanol is a product of biofuel production, the main challenge facing bioethanol production is the separation of high purity ethanol. However, the separation of ethanol and water can be achieved with the addition of a suitable solvent such as 1,3-butylene glycol (13C4Diol), mixture 13C4Diol and ethylene glycol (EGlycol) and mixture 13C4Diol and glycol ethyl ether (DEG) in the extractive distillation process. For the 13C4Diol mixture, the temperature of entrainer is 90oC with 1500 kg/hr of entrainer rate, while the number of entrainer feed stage is one. The optimum conditions for mixture 13C4Diol and EGlycol require a temperature of entrainer of 90.77oC with an entrainer rate of 1500 kg/hr, while the number of entrainer feed stage is one. Lastly, for optimum conditions for the mixture 13C4Diol and DEG, the temperature of entrainer should be 90oC with an entrainer rate of 1564.04 kg/hr, while the number of entrainer feed stage is one. This study shows that process simulation and optimisation can enhance the removal of water from an azeotropic mixture.
Minimally invasive surgery results in faster recovery. The objective of this study is to identify criteria for the feasibility of 24-hour discharge post laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. This is a prospective cross-sectional study that was carried out at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department in Putrajaya Hospital between 1 January and 31 December, 2016. The inclusion criteria were: age between 15 and 45, no comorbidities, no family history of malignancy, BMI of less than 30, mass size less than 18 weeks, single uninoculated simple cyst and no ascites. The exclusion criteria were post-menopause women, known medical illness, family history of malignancy, mass size more than 18 weeks, multiloculated or bilateral ovarian cyst, presence of solid area within the cyst and ascites. The sample size was calculated to be 14. A total of 16 participants were identified. Results showed that using the Visual Analogue Score (VAS), the mean pain score post operatively in the first six hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, two weeks and three months were 3.67, 2.57, 0.5, 0 and 0, respectively. Two of the subjects experienced post-operative nausea and vomiting, one had urinary tract infection and one had minor bleeding from the surgical site. All the participants were discharged within 24 hours post-operatively. There was no readmission. In conclusion, 24-hour discharge post laparoscopic cystectomy is safe and feasible. Factors determining the success must be adhered to closely to ensure a good and satisfactory outcome. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
The objective of this study was to compare the extraction of peanut skin using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and soxhlet extraction in terms of oil yield and catechin. For supercritical fluid extraction, the temperatures used were 40 and 70°C, while pressure used was 10 and 30 MPa, the flow rate was CO2 3 mL/min, and the concentration of co-solvents was 0 and 5%. Meanwhile, for soxhlet extraction, the extraction time was 6 hr with ethanol, hexane and water as the solvents. The results showed that soxhlet extraction gave the highest yield of extract (36.282%) using ethanol as solvent as compared with supercritical CO2 extraction (15.47%) at pressure 30 MPa, temperature 70°C and 5% concentration of co-solvent. This study reveals that the extracts from SC-CO2 extraction yielded the highest amount of catechin (208.73 µg/g sample) compared with that yielded in the soxhlet extraction (42.24 73 µg/g sample) with distilled water as a solvent analysed with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
Ionising radiation (IR) has been extensively used as therapy and diagnostic modality to detect abnormalities inside a human body. Interaction between IR and cells can lead to production of free radicals. This study aims to evaluate radioprotective properties of 50% watermelon juice against low dose ionising radiation (LDIR)-induced stress in mice lung and liver tissues following 14 days of juice supplementation. Eighteen (18) ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups, negative control (Cx), radiation (Rx) and treatment group (Tx). The Cx group was treated with normal diet and filtered water while the Rx group was given a normal diet, filtered water and irradiated with 100 µGy x-ray; Tx group was fed a normal diet, 50% watermelon juice and irradiated with 100 µGy x-ray. After 14 days, level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung and liver tissues were evaluated. The SOD inhibition activity revealed a significant decrease in Rx and Tx compared with Cx (p
Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is a hybrid imaging modality that plays a crucial role in detecting and managing oesophageal cancer. However, not much is known about the clinicians’ perspective on its usage for oesophageal cancer. The aim of this study is to know the perspective of clinicians on the utilisation of PET-CT imaging for oesophageal cancer patients. A total of 73 clinicians with multidisciplinary clinical specialties for oesophageal cancer management were interviewed. All these clinicians had completed a survey consisting of 31 questions on; practicality, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of PET-CT. The survey used Likert-scale to evaluate the responses. In terms of PET-CT practicality and clinical efficacy 39.7% - 43.8% and 47.9% - 83.5% of the sample respectively responded positively while in with regards to cost effectiveness, there was a significant difference from being neutral to having no opinion in 6 out of 9 questions. It was clear from the study that PET-CT has positive impact in the management of oesophageal cancer patients. However, issues related to expertise, availability, staffing and bureaucracy need to be addressed to improve competency and quality of services.