Zamzam is holy water believed by Muslim to have remedial power for all kinds of diseases. It contains
many electrolytes and the concentration of the electrolytes may be affected by the types of container
used for its storage. This study was carried out to determine the difference in ions concentration of
Zamzam water stored in plastic and glass containers, and to determine cytotoxicity effects of Zamzam
water against U-87 cell line (human primary glioblastoma cell line). Ion Chromatography (IC) was used
to analyze the concentration. The analyzed anions in the Zamzam water include bromide, chloride,
phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate and fluoride whereas the cations were ammonium, lithium, potassium,
sodium, calcium and magnesium. Subsequently, MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity of
Zamzam water on U-87 cell line. This study reveals that Zamzam water anions and cations
concentration was not statistically significant neither in plastic nor glass container. In addition, the
Zamzam water did not cause any toxicity on the U87 cell line. We postulate that types of container do
not have much influence on the ion concentration of Zamzam water and it is non-toxic on U87 cell line.
Over the past century there has been a dramatic increase in the number of road accidents in
Malaysia. Hence, it is necessary to create a decision making method which can consider various
preferences and criteria in order to identify the main causes of the accidents. This paper proposes an
Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (IT2FTOPSIS)
method which provides a comprehensive valuation from experts. This method is developed based on
the aggregation of experts’ opinions on preferred causes of road accidents. The extended
IT2FTOPSIS employs a linguistic scales of positive and negative Interval Type-2 Trapezoidal Fuzzy
Number (IT2TrFN) and hybrid averaging approach (from an ambiguity and type-reduction methods) to
formulate a collective decision environment. Three authorised personnel from three Malaysian
Government agencies were interviewed where they were asked to rank the causes. The analysis
shows that the linguistic scales of positive and negative Interval Type-2 Trapezoidal Fuzzy Number
(IT2TrFN) and hybrid averaging approach are effective in measuring the uncertainties in the
interviewees’ responses. Thus this paper concludes that the extended IT2FTOPSIS is more aligned
with the users’ decisions compared to the earlier IT2FTOPSIS.
This paper proposes the use of bootstrap, robust and fuzzy multiple linear regressions method in
handling general insurance in order to get improved results. The main objective of bootstrapping is to
estimate the distribution of an estimator or test statistic by resampling one's data or a model estimated
from the data under conditions that hold in a wide variety of econometric applications. In addition,
bootstrap also provides approximations to distributions of statistics, coverage probabilities of confidence
intervals, and rejection probabilities of hypothesis tests that produce accurate results. In this paper, we
emphasize the combining and modelling using bootstrapping, robust and fuzzy regression methodology.
The results show that alternative methods produce better results than multiple linear regressions (MLR)
model.
Classification is one of the most hourly encountered problems in real world. Neural networks have
emerged as one of the tools that can handle the classification problem. Feed-Forward Neural Networks
(FFNN's) have been widely applied in many different fields as a classification tool. Designing an efficient
FFNN structure with the optimum number of hidden layers and minimum number of layer's neurons for
a given specific application or dataset, is an open research problem and more challenging depend on
the input data. The random selections of hidden layers and neurons may cause the problem of either
under fitting or over fitting. Over fitting arises because the network matches the data so closely as to
lose its generalization ability over the test data. In this research, the classification performance using
the Mean Square Error (MSE) of Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN) with back-propagation algorithm
with respect to the different number of hidden layers and hidden neurons is computed and analyzed to
find out the optimum number of hidden layers and minimum number of layer's neurons to help the
existing classification concepts by MATLAB version 13a. By this process, firstly the random data has
been generated using an suitable matlab function to prepare the training data as the input and target
vectors as the testing data for the classification purposes of FFNN. The generated input data is passed
on to the output layer through the hidden layers which process these data. From this analysis, it is find
out from the mean square error comparison graphs and regression plots that for getting the best
performance form this network, it is better to use the high number of hidden layers and more neurons in
the hidden layers in the network during designing its classifier but so more neurons in the hidden layers
and the high number of hidden layers in the network makes it complex and takes more time to execute.
So as the result it is suggested that three hidden layers and 26 hidden neurons in each hidden layers
are better for designing the classifier of this network for this type of input data features.
In Malaysia, breakfast is the most frequently skipped meal. Skipping breakfast has been
associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity. However, this relationship has not been
investigated widely among preschoolers in Malaysia. Hence, this cross-sectional study aimed to
determine the association between breakfast intake and Body Mass Index (BMI) among
preschoolers in Taska Permata Keluarga (TPK), Kuala Nerus. A total of 131 Malays preschoolers
aged four to six years old were recruited from nine TPK using convenience sampling method.
Information on sociodemographic, breakfast intake pattern and anthropometric measurements
(weight and height) were obtained. Respondents consisted of 74 (56.5%) boys and 57 (43.5%)
girls. Anthropometric results showed that 8.4% preschoolers were overweight and obese. Among
the preschoolers, 22.1% of them were breakfast skippers. In terms of gender breakdown, 20.3%
boys and 24.6% girls skipped breakfast. There was a significant association between breakfast
intake and BMI status among preschoolers (p = 0.003). This indicated that preschoolers that
skipped breakfast were associated with overweight or obese compared to those who consumed
breakfast daily. Breakfast consumption is a marker of a healthy lifestyle which can reduce the risk
of childhood obesity. This habit should be inculcated during this critical period of life in which
parents play a vital role in promoting breakfast consumption among preschoolers.
Surface water quality is an important environmental factor affecting both humans and other living things.
This present study is purposely to provide a baseline information on physicochemical parameters and
metals concentration from surface water of Kenyir Lake and their water quality status. Determination of
metals concentration was carried out using ICP-MS. The mean physicochemical parameters were 31.14°C
(Temp), 16.29mg/L (TDS), 27.79µS/cm (COND), 4.75mg/L (DO), 7.03 (pH), 1.33NTU (TUR), 0.96mg/L
(BOD), 6.48mg/L (COD), 0.11mg/L (AN), 2.17mg/L (TSS) and 227.10mV (ORP) while the mean
concentration of metals (µg/L) Al 23.0845, As 0.2983, B 4.1711, Ba 5.0655, Ca 2033.4024, Cu 1.7407, Fe
43.7747, K 916.9054, Mg 456.7255, Mn 4.7387, Ni 0.3346, Se 0.5032, V 0.1428 and Zn 1.6796 respectively.
The results revealed that physicochemical parameters and metals concentration at all sampling stations
near Kenyir Lake are within Class I and Class II of Malaysia National Water Quality Standard (NWQS)
except for dissolved oxygen (DO) that was classified into Class III and Class IV due to high activities of
microorganisms that uses up a great amount of oxygen to carry out their metabolizing activities as well as
degradation of organic matters. Furthermore, most metals are significantly correlated to each other (p˂0.05)
which may derive from a common source of metals except for Al and Cu, As and Fe, Ba and Ca, Ca and
Cu, Ca and Se, Ca and Zn, Cu and Fe, Cu and Mn, Cu and Ni, Cu and Se, Cu and Zn, Fe and Ni, Fe and
Se, Fe and Zn, Mn and Zn and V and Zn respectively. Therefore, data from the present study will be useful
as baseline data for future reference.
Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread re-emerging zoonoses in the world. Malaysia is known to
be an endemic country for human leptospirosis, with a case fatality rate of 2.11%, and an average annual
incidence rate of 7.80 cases per 100,000 individuals. This systematic review is conducted to determine
the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis for leptospirosis among the adult populations who are highly
at risk of getting infected. A systematic search was performed for the relevant titles, abstracts and
keywords on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane and Google Scholar from inception to November 2017 based
on the PICO strategy; which returned 126 studies. Screening of abstracts had shortlisted 19 studies and
data extraction was conducted for 8 studies which had been accepted after review of the full text. For
the evaluation of antibiotics prophylaxis effectiveness against leptospirosis, only trials and cohort studies
with risk ratio (RR) were selected. The articles were analyzed from the viewpoint of the dosage, adverse
effects, study settings and effectiveness of the antibiotic prophylaxis. Using fixed effects model, pooled
RR showed protective association between antibiotic prophylaxis use against the incidence of
leptospirosis (RR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.48). Antibiotic prophylaxis for leptospirosis had been shown
to be effective in preventing the incidence of the disease among high-risk populations and carries
minimal adverse effects. It is recommended that the practice of antibiotic prophylaxis for leptospirosis is
included in the standard protocol for leptospirosis prevention among people at high-risk, including
disaster response teams and patrons of eco-sports tourism activities; with the drug of choice being
doxycycline, either as a single 200 mg dose or weekly dose of 200 mg for the duration of exposure,
based on the setting, duration of event and resources available.
The study attempts to use multivariate analysis to evaluate the profile of male player for developments of Long-Term Talent in Sports (LT-TiS) model based on anthropometric and motor fitness components. Data of anthropometric and motor fitness included power, flexibility, coordination and speed were obtained from 2019 respondents aged 7.32±0.52 year. Data interpretations were carried out using multivariate analysis of Principle Components Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant analysis (DA). The adequacy of sampling has been measured using Bartletts tests on sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) has been used, with this conformance of running the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Then, Discriminant Analysis (DA) were used to validate the correctness of group classification by LT-TiS model. Then, Discriminant Analysis (DA) were used to validate the correctness of group classification by LT-TiS. As a result, two factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 were extracted which accounted for 55.00% of the variations present in the original variables was found. The two factors were used to obtain the factor score coefficients explained by 27.86% and 27.21% of the variations in player performance respectively. Factor 1 revealed high factor loading on motor fitness compared to factor 2 as it was significantly related to anthropometrics. A model was obtained using standardized coefficient of factor 1. Three clusters of performance were shaped in view by categorizing; LT−TiS≥65%, 40%≤LT−TiS
The purpose of this case study is to look at how “Lean Techniques and Principles” can be successfully introduce and implement in the higher education institution or university context. In the last two decades, Lean techniques and principle has been applied to improve production system in manufacturing processes. Lean was introduced in the 1950s by Womack and Jones known as the Toyota Production System (TPS) by the legendary car manufacturer Toyota, the world’s most profitable automaker and have spent decades perfecting lean practices in the production. The method used was to produce more productivity while using fewer resources and identifying activities which creates value for customers, activities which do not create value but are required and actions which do not create value and can be eliminated. This case study demonstrates how “Lean Principles” can be adopted to the administration services particularly in the registration process for new student intake in USIM. The objective of this case study includes : to identify the needs of improving the registration process by eliminating the waste (Muda) such as time wastage, human resource wastage, to introduce the apparatus required to reduce and eliminate waste, to redesign the process using the lean techniques and principles to eliminate waste and to continually improve the process with the goal to achieve perfection for customer satisfaction and university’s reputation. How Lean Principles can transform the work process in the registration procedure, process efficiency, the reasons for implementing Lean in the process, minimize the lead time, minimize the financial cost and the role of management. This paper contains a comprehensive discussion and findings of the development of Lean principles and management through one of the models, namely; Value Stream Mapping (VSM) process which can enhance the operational process in the university environment to improve the process, particularly in the new student registration process.
Mini purse seine has a major contribution in increasing production of small pelagic catches in Pelabuhan Perikanan Pantai (PPP) Muncar. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of mini one-boat and two-boat purse seine in Bali Strait, Indonesia. This research was conducted in Mei 2018 in Muncar, East Java, Indonesia. In this study, survey was used to get the data by distributed the questioners to the fisherman. The primary data are total catch composition, fork length, individual weight of total catch and operation time of both fishing gears. Data were analysed by main catch and bycatch proportion, legal size proportion and catch rate. The results showed that the mini two-boat purse seine had a greater catch volume compared to the mini one-boat purse seine. The bycatch composition dominates in both fishing gear. The proportion of legal-size catching is 67% of the total. The fork length is not significantly different and for the total catches is significantly different. The catching rate of the mini purse seine one boat catch rate is lower at 4,048.67 kg/hour, compared to the mini two-boat purse seine which is 9,189.18 kg/hour.
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is categorized as expensive oil due to high-quality nutritional value. Unfortunately, EVOO is easily adulterated with other low-quality edible oils. Therefore, this study was done to differentiate and analyze the adulteration of EVOO with other edible oils using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The study was used several edible oils included canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil as an adulterant for EVOO. The adulterant EVOO samples were prepared by mixing with dissimilar concentrations of the solely edible oils (20 %, 40 %, 60 % and 80 % (v/v)). The main functional groups of EVOO and other edible oils are O-H, C-H, C=C and C=O groups were assigned around 3500 cm-1, 2925 cm-1, 3006 cm-1 and 1745 cm-1 wavenumbers, respectively. From the comparison of EVOO and other adulterant edibles oil spectra, it showed that the EVOO has the lowest absorbance intensity at around 3006 cm-1 represented double bond which is closely related to the composition of oil sample. The adulteration of EVOO was evaluated by analysing the changes in the absorbance based on the linear regression analysis graph of the bands at 3006 and 2925 cm-1 and the limit of detection (LOD) was measured. The graph of A3008/A2925 with good relative coefficients (R2) and lower LOD is more favourable than the linear regression graph of A3006 versus percentage of edible oils added in EVOO. This study showed that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy is a convenient tool for analysing the adulteration of EVOO.
In the current study, a total of 86 soccer’s players with mean age of 14 years drawn from Terengganu soccer academy were tested in performing 10 parameters aiming at determining the performance of those players based on assessing the contribution of each activity and its corresponding significant level. The 10 performance related parameters involved anthropometry (BMI), fitness test (agility, coordination, muscular endurance (push and sit up), power, YoYo level), and football skill test (dribbling with ball, dribbling without ball and juggling). All the parameters testing is carried out based on international standard and performed by well-trained staff. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to achieve the objective in this study. Result shows a positive correlation between the two types of muscular parameters; the power is influenced by BMI and coordination; the specific football tests are highly impacted by the power and agility. The coefficient of determination R^2 and the significance level p-values show that the parameters that can be significantly considered are the anthropometric BMI (0.020), agility (0.025), muscular endurance (0.039 and 0.043), power (0.039), special football test without the ball (0.041), and juggling (0.046). The coordination, YoYo, football special test with the ball were not found to be significantly accounted for preparing the young players to achieve the required performance. Based on the results of the coefficient of determination and the significance p-values of the parameters, a model was proposed to determine the highest and lowest parameters that play important roles in the selection of young players.
Number of active smokers in Malaysia is increasing despite availability of stop smoking clinics and smoking cessation medications. Thus, the practice of the healthcare professionals involved in providing smoking cessation intervention using evidence-based guidelines needs to be assessed using validated assessment tool. Newly invented reliable and valid questionnaire locally is needed. This study aimed to develop and validate a newly modified questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of medical doctors based on national smoking cessation guidelines and factors contributing to the score. The 22 items consists of true/false questions and Likert scaling response based on domain of 5A’s (ask, assess, advice, assist, arrange) and 5R’s (relevant, risks, rewards, roadblocks, repetitions) of the national stop-smoking guideline. Sample size is calculated based on five respondents to one item ratio. The questionnaires were distributed to 131 primary care doctors. Reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency while construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. A high degree of internal consistency was observed (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87), with good knowledge subscale (0.72), attitude subscale (0.58) and practice subscale (0.92). Factor analysis showed three meaningful finalized components (knowledge, attitude and practice) which represent the smoking cessation framework. This study indicates that this revised questionnaire is more reliable and valid tool to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on stop smoking guidelines compared to previous questionnaire.
Nigeria is naturally blessed with wide diversity of native animal genetic resources. Indigenous ruminant livestock such as cattle, camel, donkey, sheep and goat contributes largely in both protein supply, revenue generation and national economy. In Nigeria, these animal resources are mismanaged and undermined through the indiscriminate slaughter of pregnant animals and foetal losses in abattoirs. This unethical practice resulted in the loss of genetic diversity, preferred traits and superior females ruminant animals. The current research focus on reported incidences across abattoirs, which is a centre where such practice is highly occurs within the country. Lack of modern facilities, law enforcement, poor management and animal welfare in abattoirs to protect pregnant animals are among few factors responsible for an increase in incidences. It is unprofitable to continue the tradition of pregnant animal slaughter that causes foetal losses. This is a condition that significantly threatens the animal genetic resources and general livestock industry in Nigeria. This practice must be discard with a proper conservation and documentation of these valuable animal genetic resources. Both long and short terms conservation programs must aim for substantial benefits of these resources. Laws must be enforced with strict penalties to those involved in pregnant animal slaughter. Genetic resources of these species and meat industry future could be safe with proper implementation of these laws and conservation measures.
Many researchers have focused chitosan as a source of potential bioactive material during the past few decades. However, chitosan has several drawbacks to be utilised in biological applications, including poor solubility under physiological conditions. Therefore, a new interest has recently emerged on partially hydrolysed chitosan, chitosan oligosaccharides (COS). In this study, degradation of chitosan was performed by Cellulase from Trichoderma reesei® 1.5L and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were employed to optimize the hydrolysis temperature, pH, enzyme concentration and substrate concentration. Optimization of cellulase T. reesei® using central composite design (CCD) was to obtain optimum parameters and all the factors showed significant effects (p˂0.05). The maximum response, Celluclast® activity (1.268 U) was obtained by assaying the process at 49.79oC, pH 4.5, 3% (v/w) of enzyme concentration and 25% (w/v) concentration of chitosan for 24 hours.
This study was conducted to optimize the production of spray-dried white dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) powder using resistant maltodextrin as wall material. The inlet air temperature (140 °C, 150 °C and 160 °C), outlet temperature (75 °C, 80 °C and 85 °C) and resistant maltodextrin concentrations (20%, 25% and 30%) were tested as independent variables. Process yield, moisture content, water activity, solubility, hygroscopicity and bulk density of the powders were analysed as responses. Process yield significantly (p
Development and urbanization processes around Terengganu River estuary are expected to release a significant amount of heavy metals into the existing surface sediment. However, information on how and why these metals are attached into specific fraction of sediments is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to explain the heavy metal concentration distribution in each available fraction in Terengganu River estuary. In this study, nine surface sediments originated from various human activities area in Terengganu River estuary were collected during four different sampling sessions in 2017. Heavy metal content from the collected sediments were extracted using 3-steps BCR sequential extraction method followed by detection using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass-Spectrometer (ICP-MS) and we discovered that the total concentration of arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) ranged from 2.18 to 17.48 mg/kg dry wt., 2.53 to 20.53 mg/kg dry wt., 1.01 to 13.13 mg/kg dry wt., and 6.10 to 65.71 mg/kg dry wt., respectively. Dominance of metals in each fraction can be arranged as follows: As: residual > reducible > exchangeable > oxidizable; Co: residual > exchangeable > reducible > oxidizable; Cu: residual > oxidizable > reducible > exchangeable; Zn: residual > exchangeable > reducible > oxidizable. Availability of metals in the sediment at Terengganu River estuary is limited since that majority of metals resides in non-mobilisable fraction of the sediment. In essence, the sequential extraction provides information regarding the metals’ fractionation, availability and mobility, which could be used in assessing the environmental contamination in the area.
Assessing the repeat rate is crucial to reduce unnecessary dose to the patient by identifying the major cause for repeating the x-rays exposure to the patient and apply corrective measures. To analyse the repeat rate of routine lower limb projections in direct digital radiography (DR) from general radiology department of Pantai Klang Hospital. 26 months retrospective repeated radiograph was acquired from Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) at Hospital Pantai Klang. The retrieved radiographs were grouped based on the reason for the i radiographs being rejected which are incorrect positioning, incorrect collimation, patient movement, incorrect exposure factors, artefact, and other reasons. Total repeated radiographs retrieved for basic lower limbs projections were 13616. Knee was the highest repeted examination and the lowest repeat rate was tibia fibula. (repeat rate: knee = 1.04%, tibia fibula = 0.57%). incorrect positioning is the major causes for repeat exposure for all examinations type, followed by incorrect collimation, other categories, centring ray error, incorrect exposure factors and artifact.
The study of Representative Volume Element (RVE) on Composite Material has been performed in the aim to obtain the relation and effect of fiber volume fraction on its tensile properties which is one of the important mechanical properties for composite designers in automotive and aerospace community.The properties such as fibre content, orientation, dimension of constituent fibres (diameter), level of intermixing of fibres, interface bonding between fibre and matrix, and arrangement of fibres between different types of fibres, influences the mechanical properties of hybrid composite.Representative Volume Element (RVE) for each constituent Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) assumed isotropic behavior for carbon fibre, glass fibre and epoxy resin matrix and assumed to be perfectly bonded interface between fibre and matrix region i.e. strain compatibility at the interface. The scope of study on the micro mechanical modelling via representative volume element (RVE) is limited only to unidirectional composites.The result of parametric study performed deduces that incremental volume fraction of carbon and glass respectively will increase the E11 (Modulus of Elasticity in Tensile Direction) and enhance the tensile properties of both CFRP and GFRP.