This experimental study investigated the significant different in image quality and dose between different
automatic exposure of exposure parameter (AOP) mode in full field digital mammography (FFDM) system.
CIRS012A and PMMA breast phantom (4cm, 5cm and 6 cm thickness) were used as subject using
Senographe Essential FFDM system. TLD chip was used as dose measurement tool. Exposures were taken
in cranio-caudal projection. 2 radiographers with more than 10 years of working experience in performing
mammography scored the image independently. Kappa finds a good agreement between raters (kappa
value=0.9, p0.05). DOSE mode is the preferred selection in optimizing between dose and image quality.
The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Vernonia cinerea, Peperomia
pellucida and combination of Vernonia cinerea and Peperomia pellucida. These two herbs are pants that
often grow at random in different environments but are not commercialized due to the fact that no
comprehensive study of the importance of their use. The extract was prepared with methanol respectively.
1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay were used to study their antioxidant activity. The extracts
were compared with commercial antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The highest scavenging
effect from peel extract was presented by Vernonia cinerea with the value of 76.3% scavenging activity
(IC50 = 2.909), followed by the combination of Vernonia cinerea and Peperomia pellucida (71.21%
scavenging activity; IC50 = 5.274) and Peperomia pellucida with value of 68.3% scavenging activity (IC50
= 5.572). BHT showed the lowest IC50 value 1.71 with the scavenging activity 90.0%. Low IC50 value will
indicates the strong ability of the extracts to act as DPPH scavenger.
Olive or Olea europaea is originated from Mediterranean and cultivated in different regions of the world.
Each part of the plant has its own unique botanical description and gives a lot of benefits, either for
biological or common uses. In this research, the pharmacological properties of O. europaea were studied
via literature reviews. In the laboratory, the extraction of secondary metabolites from the dried leaves of O.
europaea was followed by the chromatographic investigation. The biological uses of O. europaea and
detection of the phenolics from olive leaves are highlighted. Specifically, oleuropein is the targeted
compound worth to be further analyzed.
Application of compression during mammography is crucial to reduce breast thickness and reducing
average glandular dose (AGD). With increasing participation in regular breast screening programmes, the
total AGD received by patient remains a concern. Therefore, this paper aimed to evaluate the effect of
compressed breast thickness (CBT) on the AGD during screening mammography using full field digital
mammogram (FFDM). This study involved retrospective collection of mammographic data and reports
from 148 women who came for screening mammography. Mammographic parameters which include
CBT, AGD, compression force and breast density for both breast on craniocaudal (CC) view and
mediolateral oblique (MLO) view were recorded and analysed. There was statistically significant
variation in the mammographic parameters value between CC and MLO projections but no significant
variation between right and left breasts. For CC projection, a weak positive correlation was identified
between CBT and AGD (r=0.115, p=0.049) and between CBT and compression force (r=0.172, p=0.003).
In addition, a weak positive correlation was also found between CBT and compression force (r=0.200,
p=0.001) and between CBT and AGD (r=0.292, p
Moisture susceptibiltiy is one of the common types of pavement failure found in asphaltic pavements.
Climatic factor such as temperature and moisture has a profound effect on the durability of hot mix
asphalt pavements. Couple with high traffic loads/stresses made stripping of pavement materials
inevitable. Thus, it has become necessary to improve the efficiency of the design of hot mix asphalt
(HMA) for better performance and safe riding comfort. This study investigates and discusses the findings
on the stripping performance of dense graded Superpave mixes using two type of binder; un-modified
binder and rubber polymer modified binder (RPM) using Superpave mix design (AASHTO TP4)
procedure. The RPM binder consists of 4% of both rubber crumb and EVA polymer. Modified Lottman
and Resilient Modulus tests were used to evaluate the stripping performance in these mixtures and this
study also documents the effect of different temperature on tensile strength ratio (TSR) and resilient
modulus ratio (RMR) on the HMA mixtures. Experimental evidences show that the RPM binder mixes
were found to have significantly improved the resistance to moisture damage compared to unmodified
binder mixtures. The RPM binder application may able to alleviate problems related to aggregate
stripping and potholes on our road. Statistical analysis showed good correlation between resilient
modulus and tensile strength ratio.
Demand for milk has increased in Malaysia due to the increased in awareness of healthy foods consumption.
Hence, research of milk is crucial to ensure that it is not contaminated with Escherichia coli. This study
evaluated the survival of Escherichia coli at different temperature and haemolysin activity of Escherichia
coli on blood agar. A total of 8 samples of raw fresh and pasteurized milk were collected from nearby farm
and market in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. After an overnight exposure to four different temperatures of
0
0C, 280C, 350C and 450C, the bacteriological test of milk was evaluated for the presence of Escherichia
coli. Overall, all raw fresh milk sampled exceeded the acceptable limit of bacterial count of 1 x 105 CFU/ml.
Raw fresh milk recorded the highest count at 35oC with 4.4 x 107 CFU/ml and the lowest at 0oC with 8.3 x
104 CFU/ml. The presence of Escherichia coli was detected in 7/20(35%) of the total raw fresh milk
samples. All pasteurized milk showed no presence of Escherichia coli due to the effectiveness of heat
treatment. Haemolysin test showed no haemolytic activity. Milk contaminated with Escherichia coli can
cause diarrheal, gastrointestinal diseases and urinary infection. Hence, it is important to study the survival
rate of Escherichia coli and its pathogenicity in milk to ensure public safety.
The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity of peel extract from three types of
melon, Cucumis melo var cantalupensis, Cucumis melo var inodorus and Citrullus lanatus in family
Curcurbitaceae. The extract was prepared with methanol respectively. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) assay were used to study their antioxidant activity. The extracts were compared with commercial
antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The highest scavenging effect from peel extract was
presented by Cucumis melo var inodorus with the value of 52.7 ± 9.1µg/ml (IC50 = 4.61). BHT showed
the lowest IC50 value 1.71 with the scavenging activity 90.0 ± 1.7µg/ml. Low IC50 value will indicates the
strong ability of the extracts to act as DPPH scavenger.
Adhesives serve many functions in daily life, starting from sticking envelopes to rejoining broken
materials. Adhesives are usually developed for a specific purpose and the performances can vary
according to their specific end-use. Most of the commercially available adhesives comprised nonrenewable or petroleum derived raw materials. Thus, in order to mitigate negative impact of using nonrenewable material as the raw material for adhesives, a new type of adhesive containing epoxidised
natural rubber (NR) latex is developed. Epoxidised NR latex adhesive was initially prepared and pigment
was subsequently added to produce desired colours of the adhesive. Hence, the newly developed adhesive
can serve as adhesive and also as paint for art. The adhesives were characterised and the results indicated
that they were free from heavy metal contents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The adhesives
exhibited comparable odour concentration to commercial synthetic-based adhesive. In terms of toxicity
level, the adhesive developed exhibited low acute oral toxicity. Peel adhesion test of A4 and drawing
papers on stainless steel and glass substrates, opacity and glossiness were also investigated in the present
study. This coloured adhesive is deemed to support the STEM (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics) learning by indirectly imparting polymer science and technology in art education and
further promotes creative learning among school children. The adhesive is also derived from renewable
material rendering it more environmentally friendly.
Purpose: To examine the relationship between sleeping quality and behavioural outcomes of UiTM Seremban 3 students.
Methods and sample: A quantitative approach using a modified questionnaire of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Score was employed to examine the sleeping quality and modified version of the Adolescent Behavioral Checklist was used to obtain the response on the behavioural of UiTM Seremban 3, students. 428 respondents from three (3) faculties in the Seremban campus
participated in this study.
Findings: The result shows that there is a significant relationship between sleeping quality and behavioural outcomes of the students (r=.118, p<0.05).
Discussion and Conclusion: This study revealed that there is no significant relationship between sleeping quality and positive behavioural outcomes. However, the result indicated that there is a weak relationship between sleep quality and negative behavioural outcomes. The behaviours of the respondents tend to become
more negative if they were having poor quality of sleep. The results also suggest that poor sleep quality is not only prevalent among college students but are also associated with negative behavioural outcomes. Therefore, sleeping quality should be considered in the management of students’ health and there is a need for an investigation for possible intervention on sleeping quality of the college students.
Keywords: sleeping quality, behavioural outcomes, college students
Study site: University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Seremban 3, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
The ornamental fish sector is a widespread and global component of international trade, fisheries,
aqu aculture and developm e nt. The utilization of multiple trade names causes problem in species
identification. Moreover, unmanaged trading could lead to severe threats to biodiversity. In this
regard, DNA barcoding could effectively clarify the divergence of the species. Consider i ng the utility
of DNA barcoding as a comprehensive system for species identification and discovery, this study aims
to investigate the genetic relationship and to construct the phylogenetic tree among those selected fish
species colle cted from selected pe t stores in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. The 642bp barcode
fragment of the Cytochrome c oxidase I ( COI ) gene was PCR amplified. Results from BLAST
showed all the generated sequence were subjected to high percentage identity index and sim ilarity
between 99% t o 100%. It was then analyzed using MEGA 7.0 through Neighbour Joining (NJ)
clustering and K2P distance based approach. The analysis revealed straightforward identification of
eight specimens into five species with increasing value of g enetic distances from conspecific (0.05%)
to the taxonomic level (20.18%). The phylogenetic analysis consists of own sequences and reference
sequences obtained from the GenBank. All the specimens from different genus was found with high
bootstrap value (n> 90%) through Neighbou r Joining (NJ) and Maximum Likelihood method. Thus,
DNA barcoding reflects the efficacy of the techniques in identifying the genetic assessment in selected
ornamental fishes.
Learning grammar can be difficult for learners but this can be changed through interactive activities. Language games are an excellent way to make learning grammar fun among learners Although the use of language games is not a new tool in the teaching and learning of grammar, employing the right game for a specific grammar item is vital. Hence, this study aims to experiment, using a language game - ‘Monster Back to School -Parts of Speech Board Game, in efforts to enhance the learning of the parts of speech more effectively. This game is designed to provide practice in identifying the parts of speech in the English Language, from word level, through sentence level to making decisions on whether the parts of speech have been correctly identified. By playing this game, it is believed that learners will be able to engage and learn grammar in a fun-filled way. Methodology comprised quantitative and qualitative methods, using a questionnaire and interview, with the participants, who were college students. The results of the survey demonstrate the effectiveness of the game in the identification and learning of parts of speech. The pedagogical implications are that suitable language games can enhance grammar competence.
The isolation of cellulose fib
r es requires the removal of o ther components such as lignin,
hemicellulose, and pectin from the biomass. In this st udy, the matured Leucaena leucocephala seeds
(LLS) was applied as a raw material to extract cellulose. The influence of sodium hydroxide
conc e ntration (2% 6%) on the structure of cellulose isolated LLS was studied. The highest yield
23.7% of cellulose wa s extracted using 4 wt% NaOH treatment The chemical physical properties of
cellulose extracted were characterized using Fourier Transform In f rared (FTIR), Field Emission
Scanning Electron Microscope (FES EM) and X ray Diffraction (XRD) XRD). FTIR spectrum indic ated that
of all treated samples shows the peaks of cellulose structure. The highest crystallinity index of
cellulose was obtained from 6% Na O H treatment which is 76.04%. Under FESEM images, the
cellulose appeared in fibrils like structure. The cellulose o btained can be further disintegrate to micro
and nano cel lulose to increase the chemical physical properties for various application such as i n
biocomposite, biomedicine and other value added chemicals.
Nanotechnology is the study and advanced/modern application of small object that can be practised across various scientific fields, such as physics, chemistry, biology, material science, engineering, etc. It has been widely applied in the 21st century, and it also paved the way to the green approach in technology in the form of green nanotechnology. The field of nanotechnology enables silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to be widely used as novel therapeutic agents in the semblance of antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancerous agents. In this study, plant extract of Polygonum minus (known as kesum) was used for the synthesis of AgNPs from silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution. The green synthesis, which is an alternative way to produce silver nanoparticles, was proposed because it is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The colourless reaction mixture was observed to slowly change from yellowish-green to reddish-brown, indicating the reduction of silver ion after several minutes of reaction. The AgNPs were characterised by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, Field-emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The results obtained from the UV-Vis spectrophotometer showed a sharp peak absorbance at 440 nm, which indicated the reduction of Ag+ to metallic Ag. Meanwhile, the size of AgNPs observed via FE-SEM was in the range of 15–25 nm. Accordingly, based on the EDX analysis, 82.6% of AgNPs were determined to show strong peaks for silver (Ag). Three bacteria, i.e. Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 43300), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442) were chosen to be tested in this study. The morphological changes of bacterial cells treated with AgNPs were observed by FE-SEM, showing that the AgNPs have excellent antimicrobial properties against microorganisms. Thus, the ability of AgNPs to release Ag ions is a critical factor in its antimicrobial activity.
This study was conducted to determine the effect s of different packaging mate rials on the
physicochemical and sensorial properties of traditional fried snack, Re mpeyek . The samples were
physically analysed for the texture ( and color. Peroxide Value (PV) and Acid Value
( were the chemical analyses use d to measure the ra ncidity level of Re mpeyek during storage.
O n the other hand, Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) was conducted to describe the
sensory characteristics of Re mpeyek . All analyses were carried out for an interval of every month
until 2 m onths of storage. The Re mpeyek samples in this study were pack ed in five different types
of p ackaging including Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET), PET with oxygen absorber,
Low Density P o lyethylene (LDPE), LDPE with oxygen absorber and aluminiu m layer. In term s
of ha rdness, Re mpeyek that were packed in PET with oxygen absorber require d the lowest force
with 1198.93 ± 78.70 (g) while LDPE show ed the highest force to break the sample with 2669.86
± 905.72 (g) for 2 month s of st o rage. The lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of Re mpeyek decreased gradually while the yellowness (b*) displayed fluctuation readings along with the storage.
Besides, the rancidity level of Re mpeyek that was determine d through PV significantly increase d
from 0 month (5.58 6.41 meq/g) to 2 month s (1 4.42 39.75 meq/g) of storage. Similarly, the
AV was significantly increase d from 0 month (1.5 1 1.71 mg KOH/g) to 2 month s (4.37 6.17
mg KOH/g) of stor age In terms of QDA , the color of Re mpeyek show ed no significant changes
but the score for aroma wa s significantly reduce d f rom 0 month to 2 month s of storage in LDPE
and LDPE with oxygen absorber Meanwhile, the score s for taste and hardness were reduce d
si gnificantly from 0 month to 2 months of storage regardless of the types of packaging used.
The phytochemicals and biological properties of Mangifera species are documented. The main
constituents of M. pajang include gallic, p-coumaric and ellagic acids. The fruits of M. pajang possess
antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer properties. The phenolic is mentioned as the compound that
is responsible for the antioxidant property of M. pajang. In this study, the methanolic extraction of M.
pajang and M. indica was performed. Based on thin layer chromatography (TLC), the presence of the
phenolics in the samples could be confirmed. Comparative TLC was accomplished and the retention
factor (Rf) of pyrogallol was recorded as 0.85. From the result, the TLC profiling of M. pajang and M.
indica extracts were almost similar. In addition, the compounds of M. pajang extracts were analyzed
from the 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A mixture of ascorbic acid and a
sugar moiety could be detected. On the other hand, the NMR signal for the metabolite of mangiferin
was not observed. Therefore, the compound might not present in the sample.
Every individual at some point will make critical career decision making in life. Making a wrong career decision will affect a person’s fu ture including feeling unhappy, job stress and eventually job withdrawal. This study examined the factors affecting career decision making among government servants in Malaysia. The population and sample were taken from three departments. The population wa s 140 employees and 103 respondents were identified as the sample. Convenience sampling was employed to collect the primary data. The result from several statistical analysis found that all the independent variables; salary and benefits, working environmen t and job security were correlated with the dependent variable that is career decision making. Therefore, from the findings, employers, especially from the government agencies, were urged to increase recruiting permanent position instead of contract employ ment and offering better benefits to improve employees’ career decision making.
A simple and low
cost cloud point extraction (CPE) method was developed for the determination of
tartrazine in food samples by spectrophotometry detection at a wavelength 427.5 nm. The CPE was
performed by utilizing Tween 20 and sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) as extractant and separation
accelerator, respectively. Fac tors that influenced CPE such as surfactant and salt concentrations, pH
and temperature were optimized in the context of extracting tartrazine from aqueous media. Under an
optimal condition, the proposed CPE was applied for the determination of tartrazine in sweets and
concentrated syrup juice, which represented food samples. A CPE UV Vis method showed linear
calibration within the range of 1 12 mg L 1 of tartrazine with a regression coefficient was 0.9957 . The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantifi cation (LOQ) of the method were 0.88 mg L 1 and 2.96
mg L 1 , respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was found to be < 3.00 %. The amount of tartrazine found in food samples was 1.22 6.12 mg L 1 . The results showed that the proposed CPE
method was applicable for the determination of tartrazine in food samples and the tartrazine content in the food samples was permitted according to the guidelines from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
This study examines the possible causes of anxiety in oral presentations among students who are currently taking English subjects in UiTM Dungun Campus. Communication apprehension especially in doing oral presentations is inevitable among ESL (English as A Second Language) students. This natural phenomenon occurs due to several factors by taking diverse students’ backgrounds into account. However, there are also other factors that may contribute to the students’ anxiety. The respondents were invited to answer a set of questionnaires using Google Forms ™. The questionnaire was adapted and modified from Al-Nouh (2015). A few alterations were made to the questionnaire so as to fit the respondents’ perceptions. From the survey, several factors of anxiety in oral presentations were perceived; language ability, personality traits, preparation and audience interest. Overall, the findings showed that all these four factors did affect the students’ oral presentations. Several implications of the findings were discussed which include setting a friendly and stimulating class environment to cater to the different students’ learning needs, sharing the scoring rubrics for students’ preparation beforehand, encouraging positive attitude among the audience members and emphasizing fluency more than accuracy while using English. It is hoped that the ideas and suggestions discussed will provide the lecturers with basic guidelines of how to improve the students’ command of English language through oral presentation assessments and help the students to work their way out of anxiety
Adjustment among new students at the university plays an important role in determining their success at university. This study showed one of the reasons students fail to complete their study is due to adjustment problems. Students found to be unable to deal with the challenges and demands on campus and experience a variety of problems that some of them failed to proceed to the next semester. The population of the study consist of 143 First Semester Diploma students in the Faculty of Business and Management studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang Raub Campus. The instrument used is questionnaires. There are four subscales designed to measure the effectiveness of student adjustment to university that are academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal (emotional) adjustment and institutional commitment. The study shows that adaptability on campus has a relationship with psychosocial abilities possessed by the students. Among the psychosocial abilities have a positive and significant impact on student adjustment is emotional intelligence, coping, and social support. All three of these psychosocial capabilities found to play an important role in helping students adjust at the university. Thus, the university must take proactive steps to develop emotional intelligence, coping and social support among new students to improve their adaptability
This study was carried out to determine the antioxidant activity of threadfin bream (Nemipterus japonicas) hydrolysate (TFBH) in comparison with the commercial antioxidants; α-tocopherol and LYK Nanox 189 and to evaluate the oxidative stability of chicken balls added with 20% TFBH during the 15 days storage at 4ᵒC. TFBH was prepared by hydrolysis with Alcalase at pH 8.5, 60ᵒC, enzyme /substrate ratio of 2% for 2 hours. The results showed some antioxidant activities of the hydrolysate even though the activity was lower than the commercial antioxidants. This was based on the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) analysis and 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Based on the induction time measured by Rancimat, TFBH when added into the chicken balls was capable of delaying the oxidation process during the 15 days storage at 4ᵒC. The observation was also supported by peroxide and TBARS values. Therefore, TFBH can be used in food to delay the oxidation process during storage