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Anochetus maryatiae, a new species of ponerinae (hymenoptera: formicidae)
No full textAnochetus maryatiae, a new species of Formicidae from the subfamily Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini from Ulu Gombak is described and illustrated. This ant genus was last studied in Malaysia by Brown in 1978. Observations were made on morphometric characters which included parameter measurements of total length, head length, head width, mandible length, scape length, antenna length, maximum eye length, oculomandibular distance, funicular length segment 1 to 4, pronotum width, propodeum height, petiole length, petiole height, dorsal petiole width, cephalix index and mandibular index. It was followed by a brief diagnosis, description of morphological structure, microsculpture, pilosity and discussion. Although it has resemblance with Anochetus tua, it could be easily distinguished from other species in having reticulate pronotum. This is the only species from Malaysia with such microsculpture on the pronotum. In addition to that, A. maryatie varies with A. tua in having smaller total length, less than 7.5 mm and lighter colou
Characterising yeast isolates from Malaysia towards the development of alternative heterologous protein expression system
No full textYeasts with GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status are commonly used as hosts for heterologous protein production. Yeasts are suitable expression hosts as they have been extensively characterised genetically. The objective of this project was to isolate yeasts from Malaysian food sources and subsequently to develop these as alternative hosts for heterologous protein production. Yeasts were isolated from Malaysian traditional fermented food namely ‘tapai’, ‘tuak’ and ‘ragi’. A total of 23 isolates were obtained and subjected to molecular identification by amplification and sequencing of the universally conserved ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 26S rDNA and 18S rDNA sequences. We identified three species of yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii and Pichia anomala, which have a long tradition of usage in food production and have no adverse effects on humans. To test the feasibility of the yeasts as heterologous expression hosts, we have constructed an integrative vector, p1926Zeo containing the yeast 26S rDNA and Zeocin® resistance cassette. The p1926Zeo vector was linearised and transformed into both P. anomala and H. guilliermondii isolates via electroporation. Both hosts were successfully transformed at a relatively high efficiency. The transformants obtained had a growth profile similar to the respective wild type, indicating that integration of the plasmids into the host chromosome did not affect growth. These transformants were stable as they exhibited resistance to Zeocin even after 20 generations. Thus, both P. anomala and H. guilliermondii isolates exhibited the potential to be further developed as alternative heterologous protein expression hosts
Penjagaan pesakit strok: adakah ia satu bebanan? apa yang penjaga persepsikan?
No full textBackground : This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the caregiving burden among women who are caregivers to elderly with stroke and factors influencing it. Respondents identified through purposive sampling at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre from October to December 2007.
Methods : Direct methods of data collection (clinical and housing) and indirect (postal) used a structured questionnaire distributed to the guards. Measurements taken include sociodemographic variables of patients and caregivers, the patient, the care, relationships with caregivers and patients with information about stroke. Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) short version was used to measure the burden of care. Carers' Assessment of Managing Index (Cami) was used to assess coping strategies. A total of 96 respondents took part in this study.
Result : The study showed that prevalence of caregiving burden was 35.4%. Burden of care was found to have significant relationships with factors such as marital status, caregivers (p = 0.017), family income (p = 0040) and the patients (p = 0.000). Significant correlation obtained for the coping strategies with the burden (r =- 0228, p 0026).
Conclusion : The conclusion shows that policy makers and program managers should appreciate and assist caregivers in performing the role of care. Intervention programs should be designed to suit the needs of the heterogeneous guardian
Ability and willingness to pay for health care and contribute to National Healthcare Financing Scheme among farmers in Selangor
No full textIntroduction : In view of high healthcare expenditure, Malaysia also faces problems in healthcare financing. The policy option is to establish a national health financing scheme. However, it is a problem to develop mechanisms to cover social insurance package to more than one third of the population working in informal sector such as farmers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the ability and willingness of the farming community. The main objective was to study the ability and willingness in the farming community to contribute to national healthcare financing scheme.
Methodology : This a cross sectional study involved 400 farmers in Selangor. A total of 92.3% farmers were able to pay for the healthcare.
Results : Willingness to contribute to The national healthcare financing scheme were RM2.00 per month.
Conclusion : The education level influenced the ability to pay while the educational level and per capita income influenced willingness to pay
Thermal-induced nonlinearity of Ag Nano-Fluid prepared using y radiation method
No full textThe non-linear refractive index of Ag nano-fluids prepared by γ-radiation method was investigated using a single beam z-scan technique. Under CW 532 nm laser excitation with power output of 40 mW, the Ag nano-fluids showed a large thermal-induced non-linear refractive index. In the present work it was determined that the non-linear refractive index for Ag nano-fluids is -4.80×10-8 cm2/W. The value of Δn0 was calculated to be -2.05×10-4. Our measurements also confirmed that the non-linear phenomenon was caused by the self-defocusing process making them good candidates for non linear optical devices
Polymer gel electrolytes based on 49% methyl-grafted natural rubber
No full textPolymer gel electrolytes (PGEs) based on 49% methyl-grafted natural rubber (MG49) were first prepared by dissolving ammonium triflate (NH4CF3SO3) in propylene carbonate (PC) by various molar concentrations of NH4CF3SO3 to obtain liquid electrolytes and were characterized by AC electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements to study their conducting behaviour. The liquid electrolyte with optimum conductivity (0.7M) was then gelled with MG49 and their conductivity was also studied. The highest conductivity of liquid electrolyte was 3.6×10-3 Scm-1 and 2.9×10-2 Scm-1 for PGEs. The molecular interactions between components of NH4CF3SO3, PC, and MG49 have been observed by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy study. The downshifting of C=O stretching frequency of PC from 1785 cm-1 to 1780 cm-1 and NH4+ band from 1634 cm-1 to 1626 cm-1 that has been obtained by spectroscopic data in addition of NH4CF3SO3 confirmed the complexation occurrence. Interaction between NH4CF3SO3 and MG49 has also been investigated. This study is focused on the interactions between components in the PGE system and relates them with their conducting behavio
Volatile compounds and lactic acid bacteria in spontaneous fermented sourdough
No full textThe aim of this study is to identify the predominating lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in a spontaneous fermented wheat sourdough. At the same time, an investigation towards volatile compounds that were produced was also carried out. Lactobacillus plantarum has been identified as the dominant species of lactobacilli with characters of a facultative heterofermentative strain. The generated volatile compounds that were produced during spontaneous fermentation were isolated by solvent extraction method, analysed by gas chromatography (GC), and identified by mass spectrophotometer (MS). Butyric acid has been found to be the main volatile compound with relative abundance of 6.75% and acetic acid at relative abundance of 3.60%. Esters that were formed at relatively low amount were butyl formate (1.23%) and cis 3 hexenyl propionate (0.05%). Butanol was also found at low amount with relative abundance of 0.60%. The carbohydrate metabolism of Lactobacillus plantarum may contributed to the production of acetic acid in this study via further catabolism activity on lactic acid that was produced. However, butyric acid was not the major product via fermentation by LAB but mostly carried out by the genus Clostridium via carbohydrate metabolism which needs further investigatio
Determination of HOMO and LUMO of [6,6]-Phenyl C61-butyric acid 3-Ethylthiophene Ester and poly (3-octyl-thiophene-2, 5-diyl) through voltametry characterization
No full textHOMO and LUMO of organic compounds are basic parameters for the design and fabrication of an organic solar cell. This paper presents a technique to obtain HOMO and LUMO of an n-type polymer of [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid 3-ethylthiophene ester (PCBE) and a p-type polymer of poly (3-octyl-thiophene-2, 5-diyl) (P3OT). The energy of band gap for each material has been calculated using optical absorption spectrum. Cyclic Voltammetry was used to estimate the oxidation potential and energy band diagram consequently. The experiments were carried out in a three-electrode cell consisting of a platinum working electrode, a platinum counter electrode and a SCE reference electrode. P3OT showed energy band gap equal to 1.83 eV with HOMO and LUMO equal to 5.59 eV and 3.76 eV, respectively. PCBE showed energy band gap equal to 1.96 eV with HOMO and LUMO equal to 5.87 eV and 3.91 eV, respectively. Based on energy band diagram that was constructed from this experimental result, the couple materials may be successfully used to fabricate the feasible organic solar cells
Characterisation of simple sequence repeats in the Asian Seabass,Lates calcarifer by random sequencing
No full textIn recent years, there has been considerable interest in simple sequence repeats (SSRs) particularly as molecular markers with applications in many different fields. We have carried out an effort to identify and analyse SSRs in the genome of the Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer by random sequencing. Genomic DNA was isolated from the muscle tissue of L. calcarifer, sheared by nebulisation and ligated into plasmid vector. Recombinant clones were selected randomly from the genomic libraries constructed. Subsequently, plasmid DNA was extracted and subjected to one-pass sequencing. A total of 4175 random sequences, also known as genome survey sequences (GSSs), with a total length of 1.7 Mb was generated. Screening of the whole L. calcarifer GSS data set allowed for the identification of a total of 151 perfect (100% similarity) SSRs. These SSR consensus patterns spread over a wide range of size (1 to 226 bp). The most frequent consensus pattern is dinucleotide, which represents 60% of all SSRs identified. The dinucleotides (AC)n, (AT)n and (AG)n were also found to occur frequently in the L. calcarifer genome. Sequence comparison between L. calcarifer and other fish species showed variation in repeat content, indicating the different ways in which repeats may evolve in the genome of these species. Data generated from this random sequencing of the L. calcarifer genome should serve as a valuable resource for further studies of this organis
A new hybrid non-standard finite difference-adomian scheme for solution of nonlinear equations
No full textThis research develops a new non-standard scheme based on the Adomian decomposition method (ADM) to solve nonlinear equations. The ADM was adopted to solve the nonlinear differential equation resulting from the discretization of the differential equation. The new scheme does not need to linearize or non-locally linearize the nonlinear term of the differential equation. Two examples are given to demonstrate the efficiency of this schem