Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 183 in total

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  1. Suhaila J, Sayang Mohd Deni, Wan Zawiah Wan Zin, Abdul Aziz Jemain
    This study investigated the spatial pattern and trends of the daily rainfall data in Peninsular Malaysia based on seasonal rainfall indices. Five rainfall indices which describe the main characteristics of rainfall, the total amount of rainfall, frequency of wet days, rainfall intensity, extreme frequency, and extreme intensity, were employed in this study. The statistics of rainfall indices were calculated in terms of their means for four regions in Peninsular Malaysia for the period 1975 to 2004. The findings indicate that the southwest monsoon had the greatest impact on the western part of the Peninsula, particularly in characterizing the rainfall pattern of the northwest region. During this season, the northwest region could be considered as the wettest region since all rainfall indices tested are higher than in other regions of the Peninsula. Otherwise, the northwest region is denoted as the driest part of the Peninsula during the northeast monsoon period. The northwest region is less influenced by the northeast monsoon because of the existence of the Titiwangsa Range, which blocks the region from receiving heavy rainfall. On the other hand, it is found that the lowlands areas such as the eastern part of the Peninsula are strongly characterized by the northeast monsoonal flow. Based on the results of the Mann-Kendall test, as the trend of the total amount of rainfall and the frequency of wet days during the southwest monsoon decrease at most of the stations, the rainfall intensity increases. In contrast, increasing trends in both the total amount of rainfall and the frequency of wet days were observed at several stations during the northeast monsoon, which give rise to the increasing trend of rainfall intensity. The results for both seasons indicate that there are significantly decreasing trends in the frequency of wet days during the extreme events for most of the stations on the peninsula. However, a smaller number of significant trends was found for extreme intensity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  2. Sohayla M. Attalla, Jalal Ebrahim, Hassan Ads, Najibah Abdul Razak, Nabishah Mohamad
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Recently mobile communication technology had tremendous advances and became the priority for most of the users with some opponent opinions that highlight the accountability and the privacy issues in using these messaging applications. WhatsApp is scored to be the first top used messaging application worldwide that is used in 180 countries by about 1.5 billion population. This research aims to determine the staff reflections regarding the WhatsApp usage for organizational communication. Methods: This study is implied among the staff at the medical and health life science cluster, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia. A questionnaire was distributed to all the staff through an online google form. Responses were analysed by the ‘Statistical Package for Social Sciences’ (SPSS) Version 24.0. Results: Results showed that all the staff responded (100%) are using WhatsApp for organizational communication with variable degrees of satisfaction; 8.1% are extremely satisfied, 61.3 % are satisfied, 12.9% are not satisfied and 16.1 % are extremely not satisfied. Their level of satisfaction is significantly affected by the respondent’s age, benefit of usage, and the time of messaging. Conclusion: To ensure effectiveness of communication through WhatsApp, it should be through official groups and the organization should put specific announced rules for the time of usage and the content of messages to be posted to all members.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  3. Sohayla M. Attalla, Sakinah Ruhi, Che Nur Fadhlina Bt Che Mud
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Cigarette smoking is showing an increasing prevalence among university students nowadays. Smok- ing includes the act of smoking cigarette containing tobacco and/or other ingredients or just inhaling the cigarette smoke. Smoking has many known physical side effects that include psychological or cognitive effects. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify the effect of cigarette smoking on the academic achievement among university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 136 students including 113 male and 23 fe- male aged 18 to 29 years from Management and Science University with 30 non smoker students. The question- naire included items about the social demographic characteristics, smoking status, the study styles and the aca- demic achievement of the participants. A frequency statistics, descriptive statistics and chi square test were used to analyze the collected data using SPSS version 25. Results: Among the smoker students, 51.5% came to class ear- ly, 80.8% attend classes regularly, 49.3% studied on weekends and 39.7% planned sufficient time to study for exam. Mean CGPA for smoker students is 2.6. Conclusion: Smoking is proven to be associated with low academic performance among university student.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  4. Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Ambrogi F, Asilar E, Bergauer T, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2018 Jun 08;120(23):231801.
    PMID: 29932697 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.231801
    The observation of Higgs boson production in association with a top quark-antiquark pair is reported, based on a combined analysis of proton-proton collision data at center-of-mass energies of sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of up to 5.1, 19.7, and 35.9  fb^{-1}, respectively. The data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The results of statistically independent searches for Higgs bosons produced in conjunction with a top quark-antiquark pair and decaying to pairs of W bosons, Z bosons, photons, τ leptons, or bottom quark jets are combined to maximize sensitivity. An excess of events is observed, with a significance of 5.2 standard deviations, over the expectation from the background-only hypothesis. The corresponding expected significance from the standard model for a Higgs boson mass of 125.09 GeV is 4.2 standard deviations. The combined best fit signal strength normalized to the standard model prediction is 1.26_{-0.26}^{+0.31}.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  5. Sing, Lui Lo, Chen, Cheng Ann, Tzuen, Kiat Yap, Teruaki Yoshida
    MyJurnal
    A comparison of zooplankton abundance and community in the seagrass and non-seagrass areas of Limau-limauan and Bak- Bak waters within the newly established Tun Mustapha Marine Park was made during 15-17 May 2017. Samples were collected via horizontal tow of a 140 μm plankton net. Environmental variables (temperature, salinity, DO, pH, turbidity) showed no significant differences among the study sites. However, zooplankton showed increasing abundance from non-seagrass, seagrass edge, to seagrass areas at Limau-limauan, while abundance values were comparable among the stations at Bak-bak. Overall zooplankton abundance was significantly higher at the seagrass areas relative to the non-seagrass station at Limau-limauan (p < 0.005), while no statistical difference was found at Bak-Bak (p < 0.21). Mean canopy height was 3-fold higher (p < 0.001) at Limau-limauan than Bak-Bak, suggesting the importance of seagrass bed structural complexity in habitat preference for zooplankton. Cluster analysis revealed the zooplankton community from the seagrass area at Limau-limauan was different from that at seagrass edge and non-seagrass areas, which may be attributed to the influence of seagrass meadows in forming characteristic zooplankton compositions. Marked differences in zooplankton composition and abundance even in close vicinity of sites suggest the importance of local small-scale variations in seagrass habitats in shaping the zooplankton community.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  6. Simoneau G, Levis B, Cuijpers P, Ioannidis JPA, Patten SB, Shrier I, et al.
    Biom J, 2017 Nov;59(6):1317-1338.
    PMID: 28692782 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.201600184
    Individual patient data (IPD) meta-analyses are increasingly common in the literature. In the context of estimating the diagnostic accuracy of ordinal or semi-continuous scale tests, sensitivity and specificity are often reported for a given threshold or a small set of thresholds, and a meta-analysis is conducted via a bivariate approach to account for their correlation. When IPD are available, sensitivity and specificity can be pooled for every possible threshold. Our objective was to compare the bivariate approach, which can be applied separately at every threshold, to two multivariate methods: the ordinal multivariate random-effects model and the Poisson correlated gamma-frailty model. Our comparison was empirical, using IPD from 13 studies that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression screening tool, and included simulations. The empirical comparison showed that the implementation of the two multivariate methods is more laborious in terms of computational time and sensitivity to user-supplied values compared to the bivariate approach. Simulations showed that ignoring the within-study correlation of sensitivity and specificity across thresholds did not worsen inferences with the bivariate approach compared to the Poisson model. The ordinal approach was not suitable for simulations because the model was highly sensitive to user-supplied starting values. We tentatively recommend the bivariate approach rather than more complex multivariate methods for IPD diagnostic accuracy meta-analyses of ordinal scale tests, although the limited type of diagnostic data considered in the simulation study restricts the generalization of our findings.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry/methods*
  7. Sim JH, Kamaruddin AH
    Bioresour Technol, 2008 May;99(8):2724-35.
    PMID: 17697778
    Efforts in optimizing reducing agents, cysteine-HCl.H2O and sodium sulfide in order to attain satisfactory responses during acetic acid fermentation have been carried out in this study. Cysteine-HCl.H2O each with five concentrations (0.00-0.50 g/L) was optimized one at a time and followed by sodium sulfide component (0.00-0.50 g/L). Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimum concentrations of cysteine-HCl.H2O and sodium sulfide. The statistical analysis showed that the amount of cells produced and efficiency in CO conversion were not affected by sodium sulfide concentration. However, sodium sulfide is required as it does influence the acetic acid production. The optimum reducing agents for acetic acid fermentation was at 0.30 g/L cysteine-HCl.H2O and sodium sulfide respectively and when operated for 60 h cultivation time resulted in 1.28 g/L acetic acid production and 100% CO conversion.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  8. Shin HC, Subrayan V, Tajunisah I
    J Cataract Refract Surg, 2010 Aug;36(8):1289-95.
    PMID: 20656150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2010.02.024
    PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in anterior chamber depth (ACD) and intraocular pressure (IOP) after phacoemulsification in eyes with occludable angles and compare the results with those in eyes with normal open angles.
    SETTING: Eye Clinic, Ipoh General Hospital, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
    METHODS: Patients with nonglaucomatous eyes with open angles or with occludable angles were recruited. Ocular biometric measurements (ACD, axial length [AL], lens thickness and position) and IOP (tonometry) were performed preoperatively and 1 day and 1, 4, 9, and 12 weeks postoperatively.
    RESULTS: The open-angle group and occludable-angle group each comprised 35 patients. The occludable-angle group had a shallower ACD, shorter AL, thicker and relatively anterior lens position, and higher IOP preoperatively; postoperatively, there was a significant increase in ACD and a significant reduction in IOP (P
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  9. Shahrizan Jamaludin, Nasharuddin Zainal, W. Mimi Diyana W. Zaki
    MyJurnal
    Iris recognition has become a widely popular biometric system. The stable textures and features of the human iris have made such biometric systems efficient and accurate for purposes of verification and identification. The term non-ideal iris refers to a situation in which the iris is occluded by noise, including reflections, eyelashes, eyelids and so on. Most current iris recognition algorithms assume that the iris is not occluded, which is less accurate. A method using only some parts of the iris may be suitable to deal with a non-ideal iris. The current application of iris recognition systems are plagued by weaknesses such as slow processing times, especially when dealing with many irises. In this study, a sub-iris recognition technique is proposed to deal with the non-ideal iris, while reducing execution time via an embedded system using a graphical processing unit (GPU). The experiment revealed that the proposed method was accurate and fast.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  10. Shahrin AA, Ghani SHA, Norman NH
    Korean J Orthod, 2021 Mar 25;51(2):86-94.
    PMID: 33678624 DOI: 10.4041/kjod.2021.51.2.86
    Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of micro-osteoperforations (MOPs) on external apical root resorption (EARR) during the initial orthodontic alignment phase of maxillary anterior crowding.

    Methods: Thirty patients (25 females, 5 males; mean age, 22.66 ± 3.27 years) who presented with moderate crowding of the upper labial segment and underwent extraction-based fixed appliance treatment were recruited. They were randomly allocated to receive adjunctive therapy with MOPs (n = 15) or treatment with fixed appliances only (control group; n = 15). EARR was measured from long-cone periapical radiographs taken at the start and the sixth month of treatment. A correction factor for the enlargement difference was used to calculate EARR. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and repeated-measures analysis of variance.

    Results: The mean root lengths of 168 teeth were measured and showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) after six months of fixed appliance treatment in the MOP (mean difference [MD] = 0.13 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.10-0.35) and control group (MD = 0.14 mm; 95% CI = -0.10-0.37). Most of the roots in the MOP and control groups (42.86% and 52.38%, respectively) showed only mild resorption. Less than 8% of the roots in both groups (7.14% in the MOP group and 4.76% in the control group) showed moderate resorption.

    Conclusions: Acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement with adjunctive MOPs therapy during the alignment phase does not exacerbate EARR in patients with moderate crowding of the upper labial segment in comparison with controls.

    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  11. Shafiq M, Alamgir, Atif M
    Sains Malaysiana, 2016;45:1773-1777.
    Countless statistical tools are available to extract information from data. Life time modeling is considered as one of
    the most prominent fields of statistics, which is evident from the developments made in this field in the last few decades.
    Almost every statistic for life time analysis is based on precise life time observations, however, life time is not a precise
    measurement but more or less fuzzy. Therefore, in addition to classical statistical tools, fuzzy number approaches to
    describe life time data are more suitable. In order to incorporate fuzziness of the observations, fuzzy estimators for the
    three parameter lognormal distribution were suggested. The proposed estimators cover stochastic variation as well as
    fuzziness of the observations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  12. Seyed Ehsan Saffari, Robiah Adnan
    Sains Malaysiana, 2012;41:1483-1487.
    A Poisson model typically is assumed for count data, but when there are so many zeroes in the response variable, because of overdispersion, a negative binomial regression is suggested as a count regression instead of Poisson regression. In this paper, a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model with right truncation count data was developed. In this model, we considered a response variable and one or more than one explanatory variables. The estimation of regression
    parameters using the maximum likelihood method was discussed and the goodness-of-fit for the regression model was examined. We studied the effects of truncation in terms of parameters estimation, their standard errors and the goodnessof-fit statistics via real data. The results showed a better fit by using a truncated zero-inflated negative binomial regression model when the response variable has many zeros and it was right truncated.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  13. Seuk-Yen Phoong, Mohd Tahir Ismail
    Sains Malaysiana, 2015;44:1033-1039.
    Over the years, maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian method became popular statistical tools in which applied to fit finite mixture model. These trends begin with the advent of computer technology during the last decades. Moreover, the asymptotic properties for both statistical methods also act as one of the main reasons that boost the popularity of the methods. The difference between these two approaches is that the parameters for maximum likelihood estimation are fixed, but unknown meanwhile the parameters for Bayesian method act as random variables with known prior distributions. In the present paper, both the maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian method are applied to investigate the relationship between exchange rate and the rubber price for Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. In order to identify the most plausible method between Bayesian method and maximum likelihood estimation of time series data, Akaike Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion are adopted in this paper. The result depicts that the Bayesian method performs better than maximum likelihood estimation on financial data.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  14. Seow D, Shimozono Y, Tengku Yusof TNB, Yasui Y, Massey A, Kennedy JG
    Am J Sports Med, 2021 02;49(2):529-537.
    PMID: 32427520 DOI: 10.1177/0363546520916729
    BACKGROUND: Hamstring injuries are common and account for considerable time lost to play in athletes. Platelet-rich plasma has potential as a means to accelerate healing of these injuries.

    PURPOSE: (1) To present the evidence of platelet-rich plasma injection in the treatment of hamstring injuries, (2) evaluate the "best-case scenario" in dichotomous outcomes, and (3) evaluate the "worst-case scenario" in dichotomous outcomes.

    STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

    METHODS: Two authors systematically reviewed the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, with any discrepancies resolved by mutual consensus. The level of evidence was assessed per the criteria of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and the quality of evidence by the Coleman Methodology Score. Meta-analysis by fixed effects models was used if heterogeneity was low (I2 < 25%) and random effects models if heterogeneity was moderate to high (I2≥ 25%). P values

    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  15. Segaran Ramodran, Yeap Boon Tat, Norkiah Saat, Constance Liew Sat Lin, Nur Atikah Md Taib, Symeon Mandrinos
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Recent Coronavirus outbreak has raised concern among student nurses who are doing their clinical posting tenure regarding the risk ofpatient acquired infection. This study examined perceived readiness to pro- vide coronavirus patient careduring clinical posting among student nurses in UMS. Method: This study deployed a cross-section survey design using a self-rated questionnaire to evaluate respondents’ level of readiness towards Coronavirus patient care. A total of 177 (N) respondents comprising of nursing students from UMS (year 1 n=55, year 2 n=56, year 3 n=66) participated in the study. The study questionnaire captured demographics and comprised of 15Likert -scale items that assessed the level of perceived readiness to provide Coronavirus patient care. The ques- tionnaire was adapted from a previous SARs pandemic studyand revalidated within the local context (α = 0.78). Data analysis used descriptive statistics by frequency counts and Fisher exact test for demographic correlates with the level of readiness. Results: Among 177 student nurses in this study68% (n= 121) were willing and ready to provide Coronavirus patient care and 32% (n = 56) were hesitant or not willing. Regarding confidence of safety using PPE to provide patient care, 34 % (n = 61) of respondents rated not confident and deemed it hazardous even with full PPE use. On the issue of if legally mandated to care for Coronavirus patients, 22% were hesitant to provide care and will considerleaving nursing training if compelled to do so. There was a significantly lower perceived level of readiness towards Coronavirus patient care among 1st-year student nurses and those who had not attended any Coronavirus educational session (p= 0.06). Conclusion: The findings indicate although the majority of student nurses are willing to provide care for Coronavirus infected patients during their clinical posting tenure, a small proportion of student’s nurses were hesitant.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  16. Saw SN, Biswas A, Mattar CNZ, Lee HK, Yap CH
    Prenat Diagn, 2021 Mar;41(4):505-516.
    PMID: 33462877 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5903
    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the performance of the machine learning (ML) model in predicting small-for-gestational-age (SGA) at birth, using second-trimester data.

    METHODS: Retrospective data of 347 patients, consisting of maternal demographics and ultrasound parameters collected between the 20th and 25th gestational weeks, were studied. ML models were applied to different combinations of the parameters to predict SGA and severe SGA at birth (defined as 10th and third centile birth weight).

    RESULTS: Using second-trimester measurements, ML models achieved an accuracy of 70% and 73% in predicting SGA and severe SGA whereas clinical guidelines had accuracies of 64% and 48%. Uterine PI (Ut PI) was found to be an important predictor, corroborating with existing literature, but surprisingly, so was nuchal fold thickness (NF). Logistic regression showed that Ut PI and NF were significant predictors and statistical comparisons showed that these parameters were significantly different in disease. Further, including NF was found to improve ML model performance, and vice versa.

    CONCLUSION: ML could potentially improve the prediction of SGA at birth from second-trimester measurements, and demonstrated reduced NF to be an important predictor. Early prediction of SGA allows closer clinical monitoring, which provides an opportunity to discover any underlying diseases associated with SGA.

    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  17. Saw SH
    Demography, 1967 Jun;4(2):859-75.
    PMID: 21318696 DOI: 10.2307/2060325
    The first section of this paper is devoted to an analysis of some theoretical aspects of the Chinese system of reckoning ages, and the second section offers a method of collecting the age statistics of a Chinese population: A discussion of the errors found in the age returns and the unsuccessful measures taken to eradicate these errors in the Malayan censuses conducted prior to1957 leads to an appraisal of the method of collecting Chinese age data in the 1957 census.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  18. Samia Amin, Sayed Mahmud Saiful Amin
    MyJurnal
    Meta-analysis is a subset of systematic review; a technique for systematically combining pertinent qualitative
    and quantitative study data from numerous selected studies to broaden a single conclusion that has more
    statistical power. This inference is statistically stronger than the analysis of any single study, due to increase
    numbers of topics, greater variety amongst subjects, or collected effects and outcomes. The aim of this review
    article is to highlight the definition, history, purpose, characteristics, use, advantage, disadvantage, validity,
    and steps in conducting meta-analysis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  19. Salina N, Fauziah I, Ezarina Z, Mohd Norahim Mohamed S, Nor Jana S
    Recovering drug addict is affected by two main factors, namely internal factors (such as resilience and self-confidence) and external (support from families, employers, friends, and community). One of the internal factors that appear to influence the level of recovery of former drug addict is selfconfidence. Therefore this study aims to measure the level of self-confidence among former drug addicts, also known as Orang Kena Pengawasan (OKP) who underwent rehabilitation in 6-11 months and 12-24 months. The study was conducted using cross-sectional surveys. A total of 386 former drug addicts in Peninsular Malaysia were involved in this study with 198 respondents undergoing 6-11 months rehabilitation programme and 197 were respondents who were released within 12-24 months. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. This analysis was used to measure the level of self-confidence between respondents who underwent the 6-11 months rehabilitation programme (Group 1) and 12-24 months (Group 2). The study found that the majority of both groups showed no signiticant difference in the level of recovery from the aspect of self-confidence. The study also found the majority of respondents of both groups showed a moderate level of confidence of 58.5 percent. However, Group 1 showed a higher percentage of self-confidence (63.5%) compared to Group 2 of (53.8%). The findings have implications for the development of strategies towards a strong self-confidence among the inmates to reduce recidivism rates in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
  20. Salim AA, Yusof AH, Johari J, Yusof MI
    Front Surg, 2020;7:507954.
    PMID: 33364252 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2020.507954
    Introduction: Endoscopic surgery is one of the methods that achieve the goal of decompression while minimizing collateral tissue damage. Its efficacy and safety have been supported by numerous studies. There is a plethora of studies on lumbar stenosis regarding the outcomes and related issues in endoscopic spine surgery. However, few studies evaluated the outcome of the decompressive lumbar spine surgery. The present study aims to analyze the outcome of a unilateral approach to endoscopic surgery for lumbar stenosis using the visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and MacNab's criteria. Methods: This is a retrospective study (level IV) conducted between January 2009 and December 2013 on 60 patients who underwent endoscopic interlaminar decompressive spine surgery (Destandau method) for lumbar degenerative spinal stenosis in the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. The clinical outcome was measured pre-operatively and post-operatively for VAS: for back and leg pain, motor and sensory grading, the ODI, and MacNab's criteria. A paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of patients was 60.82 years comprising 23 males (38.3%) and 37 females (61.7%). The mean follow-up period was 30.1 months (range = 17.2-43 months). The mean operation time was 183.6 min (ranging from 124.8 to 242.4 min), and the mean blood loss was 150.18 mL (ranging from 30.82 to 269.54 mL). Post-operatively, mean hospital stay was 2.45 days (ranging from 1.34 to 3.56 days). The most frequently involved level was L4/L5 in 51 patients (52.6%), followed by L3/L4 in 19 patients (19.6%), L5/S1 in 24 patients (24.7%), and L2/L3 in three patients (3.1%). Improvement in the post-operative VAS for back and leg pain and the ODI for pre-operation and post-operation was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conversely, the reduction in neurological status was statistically insignificant. Based on MacNab's criteria, 88.4% showed excellent to good outcomes. Conclusion: To summarize, unilateral percutaneous endoscopic spine surgery to achieve the bilateral decompression in lumbar stenosis provides excellent yet safe and effective outcomes. It improves back and leg pain and patients' function significantly.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biometry
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