Displaying publications 81 - 100 of 445 in total

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  1. Novel risk index for the identification of age-related macular degeneration using radon transform and DWT features
    Acharya UR, Mookiah MR, Koh JE, Tan JH, Noronha K, Bhandary SV, et al.
    Comput Biol Med, 2016 06 01;73:131-40.
    PMID: 27107676 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2016.04.009
    Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) affects the central vision of aged people. It can be diagnosed due to the presence of drusen, Geographic Atrophy (GA) and Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV) in the fundus images. It is labor intensive and time-consuming for the ophthalmologists to screen these images. An automated digital fundus photography based screening system can overcome these drawbacks. Such a safe, non-contact and cost-effective platform can be used as a screening system for dry AMD. In this paper, we are proposing a novel algorithm using Radon Transform (RT), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) coupled with Locality Sensitive Discriminant Analysis (LSDA) for automated diagnosis of AMD. First the image is subjected to RT followed by DWT. The extracted features are subjected to dimension reduction using LSDA and ranked using t-test. The performance of various supervised classifiers namely Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) and k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) are compared to automatically discriminate to normal and AMD classes using ranked LSDA components. The proposed approach is evaluated using private and public datasets such as ARIA and STARE. The highest classification accuracy of 99.49%, 96.89% and 100% are reported for private, ARIA and STARE datasets. Also, AMD index is devised using two LSDA components to distinguish two classes accurately. Hence, this proposed system can be extended for mass AMD screening.
    Matched MeSH terms: Decision Trees
  2. Onchocerca takaokai n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in Japanese wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax): Description and molecular identification of intradermal females
    Uni S, Fukuda M, Agatsuma T, Bain O, Otsuka Y, Nakatani J, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2015 Dec;64(6):493-502.
    PMID: 26165205 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2015.07.001
    Human zoonotic onchocercosis is caused by Onchocerca dewittei japonica, parasitic in wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax) in Japan. Previously, microfilariae longer than those of Onchocerca dewittei japonica were observed in skin snips from wild boars during the study of O. dewittei japonica. Moreover, the third-stage larvae (L3) of these longer microfilariae were obtained from the blackfly Simulium bidentatum after experimental injections. Based on morphometric and molecular studies, similar L3 were found in blackflies during fieldwork in Oita, Japan. However, except for O. dewittei japonica, adult worms of Onchocerca have not been found in wild boars. In this study, we discovered adult females of a novel Onchocerca species in the skin of a wild boar in Oita, and named it Onchocerca takaokai n. sp. Females of this new species had longer microfilariae and differed from O. dewittei japonica in terms of their morphological characteristics and parasitic location. The molecular characteristics of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and 12S rRNA genes of the new species were identical to those of the longer microfilariae and L3 previously detected, but they differed from those of O. dewittei japonica at the species level. However, both species indicated a close affinity among their congeners and Onchocerca ramachandrini, parasitic in the warthog in Africa, was basal in the Suidae cluster of the 12S rRNA tree.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  3. Artocarpus (Moraceae)-gall midge pollination mutualism mediated by a male-flower parasitic fungus
    Sakai S, Kato M, Nagamasu H
    Am J Bot, 2000 Mar;87(3):440-5.
    PMID: 10719005
    A previously undescribed pollination system involving a monoecious tree species, Artocarpus integer (Moraceae), pollinator gall midges, and fungi is reported from a mixed dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Borneo. The fungus Choanephora sp. (Choanephoraceae, Mucorales, Zygomycetes) infects male inflorescences of A. integer, and gall midges (Contarinia spp., Cecidomyiinae, Diptera) feed on the fungal mycelia and oviposit on the inflorescence. Their larvae also feed on the mycelia and pupate in the inflorescence. The gall midges are also attracted by female inflorescences lacking mycelia, probably due to a floral fragrance similar to that of male inflorescences. Because of the sticky pollen, dominance of Contarinia spp. in flower visitors, and pollen load observed on Contarinia spp. collected on both male and female inflorescences, Artocarpus integer is thought to be pollinated by the gall midges. Although several pathogenic fungi have been reported to have interactions with pollinators, this is the first report on a pollination mutualism in which a fungus plays an indispensable role. The pollination system described here suggests that we should be more aware of the roles fungi can play in pollinations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  4. Beetle pollination of Shorea parvifolia (section Mutica, Dipterocarpaceae) in a general flowering period in Sarawak, Malaysia
    Sakai S, Momose K, Yumoto T, Kato M, Inoue T
    Am J Bot, 1999 Jan;86(1):62-9.
    PMID: 21680346
    Pollination ecology of an emergent tree species, Shorea (section Mutica) parvifolia (Dipterocarpaceae), was studied using the canopy observation system in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia, during a general flowering period in 1996. Although the species has been reported to be pollinated by thrips in Peninsular Malaysia, our observations of flower visitors and pollination experiments indicated that beetles (Chrysomelidae and Curculionidae, Coleoptera) contributed to pollination of S. parvifolia in Sarawak. Beetles accounted for 74% of the flower visitors collected by net-sweeping, and 30% of the beetles carried pollen, while thrips accounted for 16% of the visitors, and 12% of the thrips carried pollen. The apical parts of the petals and pollen served as a reward for the beetles. Thrips stayed inside the flower almost continuously after arrival, and movements among flowers were rare. Fruit set was significantly increased by introduction of beetles to bagged flowers, but not by introduction of thrips. Hand-pollination experiments and comparison of fruit set in untreated, bagged, and open flowers suggested that S. parvifolia was mainly outbreeding.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  5. The cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale (Anacardiaceae), and its perennial association with ants: extrafloral nectary location and the potential for ant defense
    Rickson F, Rickson M
    Am J Bot, 1998 Jun;85(6):835.
    PMID: 21684968
    Cashew nut trees are consistently ant-visited throughout the year, with the ants attracted to a large number of extrafloral nectaries on the leaves, inflorescences, flowers, and developing nuts. The commercial production of cashew nut, for example, in India, Brazil, and east Africa, consistently applies pesticides, especially insecticides, in large monoculture plantings. Each year prophylactic spraying begins with the first flush of new leaves, continues through flowering, ending at about mid-nut development. We surveyed for ant diversity in sprayed and unsprayed cashew monocultures of various sizes and ages in Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia to document the ant-cashew relationship and to explore the potential of ants replacing chemical pesticides in insect control. Using for-profit, commercial-size plantations as examples, we present information that cashew has a strong potential for arthropod-dependent protection from pests and suggest important habitat considerations for encouraging ants within cashew plantings.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  6. Antigenic classification of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi isolates from small mammals trapped in developing oil palm complex in Peninsular Malaysia
    Shirai A, Dohany AL, Gan E, Chan TC, Huxsoll DL
    Jpn. J. Med. Sci. Biol., 1980 Aug;33(4):231-4.
    PMID: 6783774
    Fifty-one Rickettsia tsutsugamushi isolates from small mammals collected in central Peninsular Malaysia serologically characterized by direct immunofluorescence using eight prototype strains. Karp-related (TA763, TA686, TA716) antigens were found in 90.2% of the isolates.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  7. Variation in populations of chigger vectors of scrub typhus in developing oil palm areas of different ages
    Dohany AL, Shirai A, Lim BL, Huxsoll DL
    Jpn. J. Med. Sci. Biol., 1980 Oct;33(5):263-70.
    PMID: 7300038
    The populations of scrub typhus vector chiggers were compared in two developing oil palm areas, one 5 years old and the other 7 years old at the inception of the study. Both areas were located within the same oil palm scheme in central Peninsular Malaysia. Leptotrombidium (L.) deliense, a principal vector of scrub typhus in Malaysia, was found in reduced numbers in the older oil palm habitat. This reduction is attributed to changes in the microhabitat, specifically the elimination of grasses between the oil palm trees due to canopy shading and to cultural practices.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  8. Fulltext Switching from monoculture to polyculture farming benefits birds in oil palm production landscapes: Evidence from mist netting data
    Yahya MS, Syafiq M, Ashton-Butt A, Ghazali A, Asmah S, Azhar B
    Ecol Evol, 2017 08;7(16):6314-6325.
    PMID: 28861235 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3205
    Monoculture farming is pervasive in industrial oil palm agriculture, including those RSPO plantations certified as sustainably managed. This farming practice does not promote the maintenance of farmland biodiversity. However, little scientific attention has been given to polyculture farming in oil palm production landscapes. Polyculture farming is likely to increase the floristic diversity and stand structural complexity that underpins biodiversity. Mist nets were used to sample birds at 120 smallholdings in Peninsular Malaysia. At each site, 12 vegetation structure characteristics were measured. We compared bird species richness, abundance, and composition between monoculture and polyculture smallholdings and used predictive models to examine the effects of habitat quality on avian biodiversity. Bird species richness was significantly greater in polyculture than that of monoculture smallholdings. The number of fallen and standing, dead oil palms were also important positive predictors of species richness. Bird abundance was also strongly increased by standing and dead oil palms and decreased with oil palm stand height. Our results indicate that polyculture farming can improve bird species richness in oil palm production landscapes. In addition, key habitat variables that are closely associated with farming practices, such as the removal of dead trees, should and can be managed by oil palm growers in order to promote biodiversity. To increase the sustainability of oil palm agriculture, it is imperative that stakeholders modify the way oil palms are currently planted and managed. Our findings can guide policy makers and certification bodies to promote oil palm production landscapes that will function more sustainably and increase existing biodiversity of oil palm landscapes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  9. Genetic diversity and structure of the critically endangered Artocarpus annulatus, a crop wild relative of jackfruit (A. heterophyllus)
    Dickinson L, Noble H, Gardner E, Puad ASA, Zakaria WNFW, Zerega NJC
    PeerJ, 2020;8:e9897.
    PMID: 33005490 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9897
    Limestone karsts of Southeast Asia can harbor high levels of endemism, but are highly fragmented, increasingly threatened, and their biodiversity is often poorly studied. This is true of the Padawan Limestone Area of Sarawak, Malaysia, home to the endemic Artocarpus annulatus, the closest known wild relative of two important and underutilized fruit tree crops, jackfruit (A. heterophyllus) and cempedak (A. integer). Identifying and conserving crop wild relatives is critical for the conservation of crop genetic diversity and breeding. In 2016 and 2017, five A. annulatus populations were located, and leaf material, locality information, and demographic data were collected. Microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic diversity and structure among populations, and to compare levels of genetic diversity to closely related congeneric species. Results indicate no evidence of inbreeding in A. annulatus, and there is no genetic structure among the five populations. However, diversity measures trended lower in seedlings compared to mature trees, suggesting allelic diversity may be under threat in the youngest generation of plants. Also, genetic diversity is lower in A. annulatus compared to closely related congeners. The present study provides a baseline estimate of A. annulatus genetic diversity that can be used for comparison in future studies and to other species in the unique limestone karst ecosystems. Considerations for in situ and ex situ conservation approaches are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  10. Fulltext Risk prediction analysis for classifying type 2 diabetes occurrence using local dataset
    M. Hafiz Fazren Abd Rahman, Wan Wardatul Amani Wan Salim, M. Firdaus Abd-Wahab
    Biological and Natural Resources Engineering Journal, 2020;3(1):48-61.
    MyJurnal
    The steep rise of cases pertaining to Diabetes Mellitus (DM) condition among global population has encouraged extensive researches on DM, which led to exhaustive accumulation of data related to DM. In this case, data mining and machine learning applications prove to be a powerful tool in transforming data into meaningful deductions. Several machine learning tools have shown great promise in diabetes classification. However, challenges remain in obtaining an accurate model suitable for real world application. Most disease risk-prediction modelling are found to be specific to a local population. Moreover, real-world data are likely to be complex, incomplete and unorganized, thus, convoluting efforts to develop models around it. This research aims to develop a robust prediction model for classification of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with the interest of a Malaysian population, using three different machine learning algorithms; Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine and Naïve Bayes. Data pre-processing methods are utilised to the raw data to improve model performance. This study uses datasets obtained from the IIUM Medical Centre for classification and modelling. Ultimately, the performance of each model is validated, evaluated and compared based on several statistical metrics that measures accuracy, precision, sensitivity and efficiency. This study shows that the random forest model provides the best overall prediction performance in terms of accuracy (0.87), sensitivity (0.9), specificity (0.8), precision (0.9), F1-score (0.9) and AUC value (0.93) (Normal).
    Matched MeSH terms: Decision Trees
  11. Fulltext Diet Composition of the Wild Stump-Tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides) in Perlis State Park, Peninsular Malaysia, Using a Chloroplast tRNL DNA Metabarcoding Approach: A Preliminary Study
    Osman NA, Abdul-Latiff MAB, Mohd-Ridwan AR, Yaakop S, Nor SM, Md-Zain BM
    Animals (Basel), 2020 Nov 26;10(12).
    PMID: 33255964 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122215
    Understanding dietary diversity is a fundamental task in the study of stump-tailed macaque, Macaca arctoides in its natural habitat. However, direct feeding observation and morphological identification using fecal samples are not effective and nearly impossible to obtain in natural habitats because this species is sensitive to human presence. As ecological methods are challenging and time-consuming, DNA metabarcoding offers a more powerful assessment of the diet. We used a chloroplast tRNL DNA metabarcoding approach to identify the diversity of plants consumed by free-ranging M. arctoides in the Malaysia-Thailand border region located in Perlis State Park, Peninsular Malaysia. DNA was extracted from three fecal samples, and chloroplast tRNL DNA was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina MiniSeq platform. Sequences were analyzed using the CLC Genomic Workbench software. A total of 145 plant species from 46 families were successfully identified as being consumed by M. arctoides. The most abundant species were yellow saraca, Saraca thaipingensis (11.70%), common fig, Ficus carica (9.33%), aramata, Clathrotropis brachypetala (5.90%), sea fig, Ficus superba (5.44%), and envireira, Malmea dielsiana (1.70%). However, Clathrotropis and Malmea are not considered Malaysian trees because of limited data available from Malaysian plant DNA. Our study is the first to identify plant taxa up to the species level consumed by stump-tailed macaques based on a DNA metabarcoding approach. This result provides an important understanding on diet of wild M. arctoides that only reside in Perlis State Park, Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  12. Checklist of vascular plants of Klang Gates Quartz Ridge, Malaysia, a 14-km long quartz dyke
    Kiew R, Chung-Lu L
    PhytoKeys, 2020;166:57-77.
    PMID: 33199961 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.166.55778
    The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge (KGQR) is proposed for protection as National Heritage and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its spectacular size, exceptional beauty and significant biodiversity. The checklist of vascular plants documents 314 species that comprise a unique combination that grows on lowland quartz and that is distinct from the surrounding lowland equatorial rain forest by the absence of orchids, palms, gingers and tree canopy families. The Rubiaceae, Gramineae, Moraceae, Apocynaceae, Melastomataceae and Polypodiaceae are the most speciose families. The summit vegetation at 200-400 m elevation is dominated by Baeckea frutescens (Myrtaceae) and Rhodoleia championii (Hamamelidaceae) and shows similarities to the plant community on rocky mountain peaks above 1500 m. About 11% of its species are endemic in Peninsular Malaysia and four are endemic to KGQR: Aleisanthia rupestris (Rubiaceae), Codonoboea primulina (Gesneriaceae), Spermacoce pilulifera (Rubiaceae), and Ilex praetermissa (Aquifoliaceae). All four are provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered. Two, Eulalia milsumi (Gramineae) and Sonerila prostrata (Melastomataceae), are endemic to KGQR and a few neighbouring smaller quartz dykes. They are assessed as Endangered. The KGQR is a fragile habitat and conservation management is urgently required to halt the spread of the aggressive alien grass, Pennisetum polystachion and to prevent further habitat degradation from visitors. Based on KGQR being a threatened habitat, its biodiverse flora, and endangered species, it qualifies as an Important Plant Area.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  13. Fulltext Limited directed seed dispersal in the canopy as one of the determinants of the low hemi-epiphytic figs' recruitments in Bornean rainforests
    Nakabayashi M, Inoue Y, Ahmad AH, Izawa M
    PLoS One, 2019;14(6):e0217590.
    PMID: 31194749 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217590
    Ficus species are keystone plants in tropical rainforests, and hemi-epiphytic figs play a notably important role in forest ecosystems. Because hemi-epiphytic figs have strict germination requirements, germination and establishment stages regulate their populations. Despite the ecological importance of hemi-epiphytic figs in the rainforests, seed dispersal systems by fig-eating animals under natural conditions remain unknown because of the difficulty in tracing the destiny of dispersed seeds in the canopy. Therefore, seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) has never been evaluated for hemi-epiphytic figs. We evaluated the SDE of hemi-epiphytic figs using qualitative and quantitative components by three relatively large-sized (> 3 kg) arboreal and volant animals in Bornean rainforests that largely depend on fig fruits in their diets: binturongs Arctictis binturong, Mueller's gibbons Hylobates muelleri, and helmeted hornbills Rhinoplax vigil. The SDE values of binturongs was by far the highest among the three study animals. Meanwhile, successful seed dispersal of hemi-epiphytic figs by gibbons and helmeted hornbills is aleatory and rare. Given that seed deposition determines the fate of hemi-epiphytic figs, the defecatory habits of binturongs, depositing feces on specific microsites in the canopy, is the most reliable dispersal method, compared to scattering feces from the air or upper canopy. We showed that reliable directed dispersal of hemi-epiphytic figs occurs in high and uneven canopy of Bornean rainforests. This type of dispersal is limited to specific animal species, and therefore it may become one of the main factors regulating low-success hemi-epiphytic fig recruitment in Bornean rainforests.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  14. Fulltext Sequence variation data of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region of the captive Malayan Gaur (Bos gaurus hubbacki)
    Md-Zain BM, Abdul-Aziz A, Aifat NR, Mohd-Yusof NS, Zulkifli NA, Japning JRR, et al.
    Data Brief, 2019 Jun;24:103532.
    PMID: 31193484 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2018.11.117
    This article contains data of the sequence variation in the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region of the Malayan gaur (Bos gaurus hubbacki), locally known as the seladang, from two captive centers. Thirty fecal samples of Malayan gaur were collected from Jenderak Selatan Wildlife Conservation Center (Pahang) and the Sungkai Wildlife Reserve (Perak) for DNA extraction and amplification with polymerase chain reactions. DNA sequences were then analyzed using neighbor joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods. Based on the 652 base pairs obtained, we found seven variable characters with a value of 1%. The genetic distance between the two captive centers was 0.001. Haplotype analyses detected only four haplotypes between these two captive centers. Both NJ and MP trees demonstrate that all individuals in the Jenderak and Sungkai captive centers are in the same clade. Genetic variation of the Malayan gaur in these centers is considered low, possibly because individuals share the same common parent. This sequence variation data are of paramount importance for designing a proper breeding and management program of the Malayan gaur in the future.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  15. Fulltext Ecology, Epidemiology and Disease Management of Ralstonia syzygii in Indonesia
    Safni I, Subandiyah S, Fegan M
    Front Microbiol, 2018;9:419.
    PMID: 29662468 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00419
    Ralstonia solanacearum species complex phylotype IV strains, which have been primarily isolated from Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia, have undergone recent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes to be placed in the species Ralstonia syzygii. This species contains three subspecies; Ralstonia syzygii subsp. syzygii, a pathogen causing Sumatra disease of clove trees in Indonesia, Ralstonia syzygii subsp. indonesiensis, the causal pathogen of bacterial wilt disease on a wide range of host plants, and Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis, the causal pathogen of blood disease on Musa spp. In Indonesia, these three subspecies have devastated the cultivation of susceptible host plants which have high economic value. Limited knowledge on the ecology and epidemiology of the diseases has hindered the development of effective control strategies. In this review, we provide insights into the ecology, epidemiology and disease control of these three subspecies of Ralstonia syzygii.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  16. Non-native mangroves support carbon storage, sediment carbon burial, and accretion of coastal ecosystems
    Soper FM, MacKenzie RA, Sharma S, Cole TG, Litton CM, Sparks JP
    Glob Chang Biol, 2019 Aug 29.
    PMID: 31465581 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14813
    Mangrove forests play an important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation by maintaining coastline elevations relative to sea level rise, protecting coastal infrastructure from storm damage and storing substantial quantities of carbon (C) in live and detrital pools. Determining the efficacy of mangroves in achieving climate goals can be complicated by difficulty in quantifying C inputs (i.e., differentiating newer inputs from younger trees from older residual C pools), and mitigation assessments rarely consider potential offsets to CO2 storage by methane (CH4 ) production in mangrove sediments. The establishment of non-native Rhizophora mangle along Hawaiian coastlines over the last century offers an opportunity to examine the role mangroves play in climate mitigation and adaptation both globally and locally as novel ecosystems. We quantified total ecosystem C storage, sedimentation, accretion, sediment organic C burial and CH4 emissions from ~70 year old R. mangle stands and adjacent uninvaded mudflats. Ecosystem C stocks of mangrove stands exceeded mudflats by 434 ± 33 Mg C ha-1 , and mangrove establishment increased average coastal accretion by 460%. Sediment organic C burial increased 10-fold (to 4.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 ), double the global mean for old growth mangrove forests, suggesting that C accumulation from younger trees may occur faster than previously thought, with implications for mangrove restoration. Simulations indicate that increased CH4 emissions from sediments offset ecosystem CO2 storage by only 2-4%, equivalent to 30-60 Mg CO2 -eq ha-1 over mangrove lifetime (100-year sustained global warming potential). Results highlight the importance of mangroves as novel systems that can rapidly accumulate C, have a net positive atmospheric greenhouse gas removal effect, and support shoreline accretion rates that outpace current sea level rise. Sequestration potential of novel mangrove forests should be taken into account when considering their removal or management, especially in the context of climate mitigation goals.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  17. Fulltext Linkages between Chiropteran diversity and ecosystem services for sustainable fragmented forest conservation
    Fakhrul-Hatta SNN, Nelson BR, Shafie NJ, Zahidin MA, Abdullah MT
    Data Brief, 2018 Dec;21:2089-2094.
    PMID: 30533456 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2018.11.058
    This data article informs about Chiropteran diversity, new records, ecosystem services and possible pathogen carriers in fragmented forests (sub-divided by utility corridors, man-made structures, untouched and secondary plantations) within districts Setiu (Setiu Research Station), Hulu Terengganu (Saok and Lasir waterfalls) and Besut (Gunung Tebu Forest Reserve) of state Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. These bats were captured using harp traps and mist nets that were set 10 m apart across flyways, streams and less cluttered trees in the 50 m × 50 m transect zones (identified at each site). All animals were distinguished by morphology and gender before their release at the site of capture. The data comprise of five bat family groups Hipposideridae, Megadermatidae, Pteropodidae, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. It is interesting to note that untouched Saok Waterfalls is home to wide variety of bats listed (68.8%), followed by secondary forests of Gunung Tebu Forest Reserve (24.8%), untouched Lasir Waterfalls (4.8%) and lastly, Setiu Research Station as least favored (1.6%). Chiroptera like Cynopterus brachyotis (n = 23, 37.7%), Hipposideros bicolor (n = 6, 9.8%) and Scotophilus kuhli (n = 6, 9.8%) were most dominant in the checklist whereas Hipposideros armiger, Murina suilla and Scotophilus kuhlii are new data records in the fragmented forests of Terengganu. The data were interpret into Shannon, Simpson, Margalef, Menhinik and Evenness indices to individually or collectively distinguish chiropteran variety in Terengganu State whereas weight-forearm length (W/FA) informs about chiropteran Body Condition Index (-0.25 to 0.25). The function of bats were also identified to distinguish service providers (pollination and forests regeneration) and zoonotic pathogen carriers (in particular to Leptospira bacteria, Nipah virus and Sindbis virus).
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  18. Fulltext Changes to Sabah's orangutan population in recent times: 2002-2017
    Simon D, Davies G, Ancrenaz M
    PLoS One, 2019;14(7):e0218819.
    PMID: 31314781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218819
    The Bornean orangutan is critically endangered and monitoring its population is needed to inform effective conservation management. In this paper, we present results of 2014-17 aerial nest surveys of the major orangutan populations in Sabah and compare them with baseline data produced during surveys conducted in 2002-03 using similar methods. Our results show three important points: a) by increasing the survey effort (estimated at 15-25% cover), sparsely scattered orangutan sub-populations not recorded in the previous aerial surveys were located and the accuracy of the nest count estimates is expected to improve; b) large populations in the interior forests of Sabah, occupying sustainably managed logged and unlogged forests, have been stable over 15 years and are of vital importance for the species' conservation; c) fragmented populations located in eastern Sabah, that are surrounded by extensive oil palm plantations, have declined at varying rates.
    Matched MeSH terms: Trees
  19. Fulltext Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Spending on Research and Development to Address the Needs for Innovative Therapeutic Products in Indonesia
    Suwantika AA, Kautsar AP, Zakiyah N, Abdulah R, Boersma C, Postma MJ
    Ther Clin Risk Manag, 2020;16:969-977.
    PMID: 33116546 DOI: 10.2147/TCRM.S260377
    Background: The annual gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) per capita of Indonesia ($24) remains relatively lower than the annual GERD per capita of neighboring countries, such as Vietnam ($36), Singapore ($1804), Malaysia ($361), and Thailand ($111).

    Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of spending on healthcare R&D to address the needs of developing innovative therapeutic products in Indonesia.

    Methods: A decision tree model was developed by taking into account four stages of R&D: stage 1 from raw concept to feasibility, stage 2 from feasibility to development, stage 3 from development to early commercialization, and stage 4 from early to full commercialization. Considering a 3-year time horizon, a stage-dependent success rate was applied and analyses were conducted from a business perspective. Two scenarios were compared by assuming the government of Indonesia would increase GERD in health and medical sciences up to 2- and 3-times higher than the baseline (current situation) for the first and second scenario, respectively. Cost per number of innovative products in health and medical sciences was considered as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of different input parameters on the ICER.

    Results: There was a statistically significant association (P-value<0.05) between countries' GERD in medical and health sciences with the number of innovative products. We estimated the ICER would be $8.50 million and $2.04 million per innovative product for the first and second scenario, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the success rates in all stages and total GERD were the most influential parameters impacting the ICER.

    Conclusion: The result showed that there was an association between GERD in medical and health sciences with the number of innovative products. In addition, the second scenario would be more cost-effective than the first scenario.

    Matched MeSH terms: Decision Trees
  20. A Review of Machine Learning Methods of Feature Selection and Classification for Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Rahman MM, Usman OL, Muniyandi RC, Sahran S, Mohamed S, Razak RA
    Brain Sci, 2020 Dec 07;10(12).
    PMID: 33297436 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120949
    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to DSM-5 in the American Psychiatric Association, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that includes deficits of social communication and social interaction with the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Children with ASD have difficulties in joint attention and social reciprocity, using non-verbal and verbal behavior for communication. Due to these deficits, children with autism are often socially isolated. Researchers have emphasized the importance of early identification and early intervention to improve the level of functioning in language, communication, and well-being of children with autism. However, due to limited local assessment tools to diagnose these children, limited speech-language therapy services in rural areas, etc., these children do not get the rehabilitation they need until they get into compulsory schooling at the age of seven years old. Hence, efficient approaches towards early identification and intervention through speedy diagnostic procedures for ASD are required. In recent years, advanced technologies like machine learning have been used to analyze and investigate ASD to improve diagnostic accuracy, time, and quality without complexity. These machine learning methods include artificial neural networks, support vector machines, a priori algorithms, and decision trees, most of which have been applied to datasets connected with autism to construct predictive models. Meanwhile, the selection of features remains an essential task before developing a predictive model for ASD classification. This review mainly investigates and analyzes up-to-date studies on machine learning methods for feature selection and classification of ASD. We recommend methods to enhance machine learning's speedy execution for processing complex data for conceptualization and implementation in ASD diagnostic research. This study can significantly benefit future research in autism using a machine learning approach for feature selection, classification, and processing imbalanced data.
    Matched MeSH terms: Decision Trees
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