19672 research outputs found
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Learning based restoration of Gaussian blurred images using weighted geometric moments and cascaded digital filters
No full textImage moments such as zernike, tchebichef and geometric moments have been widely used in image processing applications. They have useful properties to detect edges. In this paper, we present how one of the moment families, in particular geometric moments (GM) can be utilized in estimating the sigma and size of the Gaussian point spread function (PSF) that degrades the images. With the knowledge of how edges vary in the presence of Gaussian blur, a method that uses low order geometric moments is proposed to estimate the PSF parameter. This is achieved by using the difference of the GMs of the original and the reblurred images as feature vectors to train extreme learning machine (ELM) to estimate the PSF parameters respectively. Further, a novel method that uses a cascaded digital filters operating as subtractors is proposed to transform the image from geometric moment domain to spatial domain. The effectiveness of the proposed method of estimating the PSF parameters is examined using cross database validation. The results show that the proposed method in most of the cases performs better than the three existing methods when examined in terms of the visual quality evaluated using structural similarity (SSIM) index
Assessment of health risk due to the exposure of heavy metals in soil around mega coal-fired cement factory in Nigeria
No full textMobilization and dispersion of potentially toxic elements into the atmosphere and human environment due to industrial and anthropogenic activities have been associated with significant human health challenges. In this investigation, 20 surface soil samples collected around a coal-fired cement factory in northeast Nigeria were analysed for their heavy metal (Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mn) concentrations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results showed that mean concentrations of heavy metals, except for Cr were lower than their normal backgrounds (Cr = 76.44 > 64 mg kg−1, Pb = 19.32 < 70 mg kg−1, Ni = 29.09 < 50 mg kg−1, Cu = 5.03 < 63 mg kg−1, Zn = 10.15 < 200 mg kg−1) provided in the Canadian soil quality guidelines. Potential health risk assessment for adults and children for lifetime exposure through ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact were estimated. Statistical analysis identified anthropogenic activities as the principal source of metal contamination in the studied soils. Risk assessments indicated that ingestion pathway is the primary exposure route for both adults and children. Children were found to be prone to higher health risk possibly due to their hand-to-mouth dietary habits. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk values were within safety limits for all the metals, though Cr showed a high potential for occurrence of non-carcinogenic health effects in the subpopulations
Detection of a Borrelia sp. From Ixodes granulatus Ticks Collected From Rodents in Malaysia
No full textThe Borrelia genus consists of spirochete bacteria known to cause Lyme disease (LD) and relapsing fever in humans. Borrelia pathogens are commonly transmitted via arthropod vectors such as ticks, mites, or lice. Here, we report the molecular screening of LD group Borrelia sp. from ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from rodents trapped in recreational forests and a semiurban residential area in the Selangor state in Malaysia. Of 156 adult ticks surveyed, 72 ticks were determined as positive for Borrelia sp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All Borrelia PCR-positive ticks belonged to the Ixodes granulatus Supino species. Borrelia sp. was not detected in other tick species examined, including Dermacentor sp. and Amblyomma sp. ticks. Thirteen Borrelia PCR-positive tick samples were selected for further sequence analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of partial flaB gene sequences revealed that the Borrelia sp. were closely related to the LD group borreliae, Borrelia yangtzensis; a novel Borrelia genospecies reported in East Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, and China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Borrelia sp. related to Borrelia yangtzensis detected in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The zoonotic potential of the Borrelia sp. reported here merits further investigation, as it may explain the previously reported serological evidence for borrelial infections in Malaysia
Improving sentiment scoring mechanism: a case study on airline services
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of including letter repetition commonly found within social media text and its impact in determining the sentiment scores for two major airlines in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: A Sentiment Intensity Calculator (SentI-Cal) was developed by assigning individual weights to each letter repetition, and tested it using data collected from official Facebook pages of the airlines. Findings: Evaluation metrics indicate that SentI-Cal outperforms the baseline tool Semantic Orientation Calculator (SO-CAL), with an accuracy of 90.7 percent compared to 58.33 percent for SO-CAL. Practical implications: A more accurate sentiment score allows airline services to easily obtain a better understanding of the sentiments of their customers, hence providing opportunities in improving their airline services. Originality/value: Proposed mechanism calculates sentiment intensity of social media text by assigning individual weightage to each repeated letter and exclamation mark thus producing a more accurate sentiment score
Lumbosacral osteosarcoma with dural spread, skip lesions and intravascular extension: A case report
No full textPrimary osteosarcoma of the spine is indeed rare and only several sporadic cases have been reported. It tends to occur in a slightly older age group than those with appendicular skeleton tumours. We present here an unusual case of aggressive lumbosacral osteosarcoma in a young teenager complicated by extensive dural spread, skip lesions and intravascular extension. Although a histopathological examination is mandatory to establish the diagnosis, this case emphasises the need of imaging to ascertain the full extent of disease spread especially in deciding the type of treatment to be instituted and to evaluate the response to the treatment
Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation using As2Se3 photonic crystal fiber and the impact of higher-order dispersion parameters on its supercontinuum bandwidth
No full textA dispersion engineered As2Se3 chalcogenide hexagonal photonic crystal fiber which can produce a mid-infrared supercontinuum (SC) spectral evolution spanning from 2 μm to beyond 15 μm with a low peak power of 3 kW is numerically designed and demonstrated. Numerical analysis is carried out to investigate the impact of higher-order dispersion (HOD) parameters on the output SC bandwidth and shows that the SC spectral broadening at the output of the proposed design depends on the convergence of the Taylor approximation with increasing fitting parameters, which implies a sufficient number of HOD parameters must be included during numerical simulations. Four designs with different structural parameters are optimized for pumping, each operating at a different pump wavelength to test the convergence of output SC by the successive addition of HOD parameters. To realize spurious free SC spectral evolution by the proposed designs, HOD terms up to the sixteenth-order are included during all SC simulations. The proposed design can be used in molecular finger print spectroscopy, bio-medical imaging as well as various mid-infrared region applications
Employees' pre-dismissal right to be heard: The Malaysian and the Islamic perspective
No full textIt seemed to be a settled principle of law that before an employee can be dismissed from his job for misconduct, he must have a notice of the allegation against him and accorded a reasonable opportunity of being heard. However, this principle should be revisited in the light of two conflicting Federal Court's decisions pertaining to the mandatory issue of this right especially in the private sector employment in Malaysia. The curable principle as enunciated by Dreamland Corporation (M) Sdn. Bhd. v Choong Chin Sooi & Anor [1988] 1 MLJ 111has watered down the right of the employee to be heard as it was held in that case that the irregularity in holding a domestic enquiry is not fatal to the employer. He may justify the dismissal at the Industrial Court. Despite the existence of this principle, it should be emphasised that the right to a pre-dismissal hearing should be interpreted to be mandatory and not discretionary as there are two statutory provisions and constitutionally recognised rules of natural justice which may support this proposition. The mandatory effect of the domestic enquiry should be consistently upheld. With a view to enhance the employee's right and to ensure harmonious employer-employee relationship, it would be the purpose of this article to comparatively examine and learn how the same right is treated and regulated under the Islamic principle of justice and its application in two Islamic countries, namely Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Apart from narrowing down the gap in the Islamic knowledge on the administration of justice in dismissal cases, this article may also contribute in idea on how to harmonise the current employment laws and the Sharia
The interaction of employee personal values and ability with service quality of commercial banks
No full textThis study evaluates the interactions among personal values, ability and service quality of all branches of two commercial banks (CIMB and Maybank) operating in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (N = 117 branches), which are the greatest financial services group with the highest ranking based on asset range and financial statistics. The results indicate a difference in Malaysian values context and priority compared with the previous studies performed in developed countries. Structural Equation Model (SEM) is applied to analyze the mediating role of ability among personal values and service quality. The results show a strong and positive effect of three dimensions of values, including self-enhancement, openness to change and conservation on service quality in direct and indirect effect. Also, research findings mention the employees’ ability as a behavior outcome plays a mediator role in the relationship between these three constructs of personal values and bank service quality. Implications of research findings are discussed, together with limitations and suggestions for future studies
Evaluating Housing Needs and Preferences of Generation Y in Malaysia
No full textIn Malaysia, housing providers affect the planning system as housing industry constantly evolves to meet homebuyer needs. Generation Y has exhibited dissimilar housing needs compared to Generation X and Baby Boomer. Thus, housing developers seek to identify the current needs for young homebuyers to avoid experiencing unsold properties. This research aims to identify the fundamental housing needs and psychographic characteristics towards their housing preferences and future planning demands. A quantitative survey was used for collecting data and a statistical analysis was performed to evaluate research outcomes. This research will help local housing developers to understand Generation Y needs and preferences for the future housing demand
Pull-out performance of a novel anchor blind bolt (TubeBolt) for beam to concrete-filled tubular (CFT) column bolted connections
No full textThe utilisation of beam to concrete-filled tubular (CFT) column bolted construction remains limited due to the severe slippage of bolts, column surface deformation and low moment-resisting capacity. This study proposes a novel blind bolt, known as the TubeBolt, for beam to CFT column connections. Ten pull-out test specimens were evaluated under tensile monotonic loading. Bolt type, bolt diameter, end anchor member, hollow tube wall thickness and bolt hole diameter were varied for the test. The failure modes, anchorage performance, load-carrying capacity, strength, slippage and elongation of the bolts were analysed. The behaviour of the TubeBolt specimens was compared with that of the Extended Hollo-bolt specimens under the same condition. Experimental results indicated that the novel TubeBolt in concrete-filled tubes exhibited excellent anchorage performance, higher strength and less slip and elongation until the failure state was reached