45 research outputs found
Chinese literary works translated into Baba Malay: a bibliographical study
No full textAnalyses 68 unique titles of Baba translated works published between 1889 and 1950. The titles are held in the libraries of the University of Malaya (UM), Science University Malaysia (USM), National University of Malaysia (UKM), the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), National University of Singapore (NUS), National Library of Singapore (NLS) and the British Library (BL). The results reveal three periods of active publication of Baba translated works. A total of 18 works were translated before World War I, followed by 10 just after the war, 39 titles were published before the break of the World War II and 1 was identified in 1950. There were 103 persons involved in the 68 translated works, some of whom are responsible for more than one title. The most prominent translators were Chan Kim Boon, Wan Boon Seng, Seow Chin San and Lee Seng Poh. Some of the translators were also be editors, illustrators or editors. There were 31 publishers and 21 printing presses involved, all were located in Singapore. The most active publishers were Wan Boon Seng, Kim Seck Chy Press and Nanyang Romanised Malay Book Co. The translated works mainly cover historical classical Chinese stories, chivalrous stories, romances, folklore and legends. The titles were priced between 10 cents to 2 dollars in Straits currency. The University of Malaya Library held the largest number of unique title (62) out of which 15 were unique titles
Does size really matter across time? Financial integration dynamics and stock market capitalization in the Asia Pacific equity markets
No full textThe present study argues for size of equity markets, measured by its stock market capitalization, in determining leaders for a fully integrated equity market in the Asia Pacific region. Using cointegration analysis, it was found that Hong Kong SAR could act in such a capacity in the financial integration process. When taking growth-volatility into consideration via the use of Euclidean distance measure, China is diverging from both equity blocks across time and is the least integrated. However, given its growth across time, it is the sole contender for the leadership role surpassing Hong Kong SAR
CMOS nanophotonic sensor with integrated readout system
No full textThe measurement of nanophotonic sensors currently requires the use of external measuring equipment for their readout such as an optical spectrum analyser (OSA), spectrophotometer or detectors. This requirement of external laboratory based measuring equipment creates a "chip-in-a-lab" dilemma and hinders the use of nanophotonic sensors in practical applications. Making nanophotonic sensors usable in everyday life requires miniaturization of not only the sensor chip itself but also the equipment used for its measurement. In this paper, we have removed the need of external measuring equipment by monolithically integrating 1D grating structures with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit having an array of photodiodes. By doing so, we get a direct electrical read-out of the refractive index changes induced when applying different analytes to grating structures. The gratings are made of CMOS compatible silicon nitride. Employing a nanophotonic sensor made of CMOS compatible material allows fabrication of the integrated sensor chip in a commercial CMOS foundry, enabling mass production for commercialization with low cost. Our results present a significant step towards transforming present laboratory based nanophotonic sensors into practical portable devices to enable applications away from the analytical laboratory. We anticipate the work will have a major impact on technology for personalized medicine, environmental and industrial sensing.</p
Stock market capitalization and financial integration in the Asia Pacific region
No full textThe stock market capitalization (SMC) of a country, defined as the aggregated market value equity of companies in the respective equity market, is commonly used to measure the widening and deepening of stock market activity. SMC also influences economic growth predictions and public consensus concerning the value of the stock market. However, no previous work has examined the role this variable plays in the process of financial integration. This paper provides an argument for the use of SMC as a means of deciding which countries are acting as leaders in creating a fully integrated equity market in the Asia Pacific region. A total of twelve countries in the Asia Pacific region were divided into ‘Emerging Market’ and ‘Advanced Market’ equity blocks. We examine the relative size of the speed of adjustments derived from the error correction models following the Engle-Granger two-step procedure framework and apply the Granger causality test. The results suggest that Hong Kong SAR possesses the necessary credentials to act as market leader. In fact, Hong Kong SAR appears to be the only contender for market leader of both the ‘Emerging Market’ and ‘Advanced Market’ equity blocks
CMOS nanophotonic sensor with integrated readout system
No full textThe measurement of nanophotonic sensors currently requires the use of external measuring equipment for their read-out such as an optical spectrum analyzer, spectrophotometer, or detectors. This requirement of external laboratory-based measuring equipment creates a “chip-in-a-lab” dilemma and hinders the use of nanophotonic sensors in practical applications. Making nanophotonic sensors usable in everyday life requires miniaturization of not only the sensor chip itself but also the equipment used for its measurement. In this paper, we have removed the need of external measuring equipment by monolithically integrating 1-D grating structures with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit having an array of photodiodes. By doing so, we get a direct electrical read-out of the refractive index changes induced when applying different analytes to grating structures. The gratings are made of CMOS compatible silicon nitride. Employing a nanophotonic sensor made of CMOS compatible material allows fabrication of the integrated sensor chip in a commercial CMOS foundry, enabling mass production for commercialization with low cost. Our results present a significant step toward transforming present laboratory-based nanophotonic sensors into practical portable devices to enable applications away from the analytical laboratory. We anticipate the work will have a major impact on technology for personalized medicine, environmental, and industrial sensing
Molecular modeling and simulations of viruses: structure, dynamics and antibody design
No full textConnecting dynamics to structural data from an array of diverse yet complementary experimental sources, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations permit the exploration of biological phenomena in unparalleled detail. We employed MD simulations and molecular modeling to investigate the dynamic properties of virus capsids, to determine the atomic structure of highly-flexible capsid domains, which could not be solved using a single experimental method, and to unravel the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, we have recently integrated MD simulation into a de novo antibody design program to assess the binding and thermal stabilities of the designed antibodies and to identify antibodies with high binding affinity.
We first investigated a retrovirus capsid in its immature, non-infectious state. For a retrovirus to be infectious, the immature retrovirus has to undergo maturation where the immature capsid proteins, also known as Gag, are cleaved proteolytically and then rearranged to form a mature capsid. Obtaining an atomic structure of the immature capsid has been elusive for many years. Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy have yielded high resolution density maps and therefore enabled accurate computational modelings and simulations. We report the first atomic model of an immature Gag lattice, using Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) as the model system. The model includes an atomic model of a flexible domain called spacer peptide. The immature Gag lattice model was obtained using homology modeling and microsecond-long MD simulations and was tested via mutagenesis experiments in vitro. Upon obtaining the atomic structure of immature RSV lattice, we characterized the roles of key charged residues of RSV by simulating the wild type and mutant structures. We discovered a novel allosteric pathway that could explain how a mutation could suppress the detrimental effect of another mutation despite being 20 Angstrom apart.
The human body has two types of immune systems to prevent and combat viral infection: innate and adaptive immune systems. Lung surfactant proteins are part of the innate immune system, and they act at the front-end of the host defense. Surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) protect humans from bacterial infection and influenza A virus, respectively. Using structural information from X-ray crystallography, we probe the interactions between SP-D and influenza A virus at the atomic level. Our simulation results show
that a double mutant of SP-D binds stronger to influenza A virus using a different binding loop than the wild type SP-D. Additionally, the lipid binding properties of SP-A were probed using MD simulations and mutational studies. We found a non-canonical lipid binding site with several critical binding features that involve cation-π interactions. Steered MD simulations also revealed that SP-A binds to bacterial lipid more tightly than lung surfactant. These results suggest that SP-A may transfer from surfactant to bacterial membranes to initiate its host defense functions.
Antibodies are secreted by a type of white blood cell called B lymphocytes, which is an important component of the adaptive immune system. Antibodies identify and neutralize pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Developing antibodies using solely experimental methods is a time-consuming process. Therefore, computational methods have been developed to design antibodies. However, most of these computational methods lack dynamic information during the design process as only static structures are considered. To generate antibodies with high binding affinity, we incorporated MD simulation into the antibody design workflow to account for the dynamic nature of the antigen-antibody interaction. The antibody design program with the improved workflow has successfully designed high-affinity antibodies to target a small, 12-residue-long peptide antigen, and the program is currently being used to design antibodies targeting a larger antigen, namely the Ebola glycoprotein.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2018-05-01The student, Boon Chong Goh, accepted the attached license on 2016-04-07 at 16:24.The student, Boon Chong Goh, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2016-04-07 at 16:40.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2016-04-08 at 09:44.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #9164 on 2016-07-07 at 13:48:57Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-07T20:27:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 6
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Previous issue date: 2016-04-08Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 93093
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Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemEmbargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 93093
Lift date: 2018-07-07T20:35:34Z
Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemU of I Only Restriction Lifted for Item 93093 on 2018-07-08T09:15:20Z
Metabolomic sensing system for personalised medicine using an integrated CMOS sensor array technology
No full textPrecision healthcare, also known as personalised medicine, is based on our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of biological systems, with the ultimate aim to clinically identify the best therapeutic strategy for each individual. Genomics and sequencing technologies have brought this to the foreground by enabling an individual’s entire genome to be mapped for less than a thousand dollar in just one day. Recently, metabolomics, the quantitative measurement of small molecules, has emerged as a field to understand an individual’s molecular profile in terms of both genetics and environmental factors. This is crucial because a genome could only indicate an individual’s susceptibility to a particular disease, whereas a metabolome provides an immediate measurement of body function, enabling a means of diagnosis. However, the current approach of measurements depends on large-scale and expensive equipment such as mass spectroscopy and NMR instrumentation, which does not offer a single analytical platform to detect the entire metabolome.
This thesis describes the development of an integrated CMOS sensor array technology as a single platform to quantify different metabolites using specific enzymes. The key stages in the work were: to construct instrumentation systems to perform enzyme assays on the CMOS sensor array; to establish techniques to package the CMOS sensor array for an aqueous environment; to implement and develop a room temperature Ta2O5 sputtering process on CMOS sensor array for hydrogen ion detection; to collaborate with a chemist and investigate an inorganic layer on top of the CMOS ISFET sensor to show an improvement of sensitivity towards potassium ion; to test several different enzyme assays electrochemically and optically and show the functionalities of the sensors; to devise microfluidic channels for segregation of the sensor array into different compartments and perform enzyme immobilisation techniques on CMOS chips; and integrate the packaged chip with microfluidic channels and enzyme immobilisation using 2D inkjet printer into a complete system that has the potential to be used as a multi-enzyme platform for detection of different metabolites.
Two CMOS sensor array chips (1) a 256×256-pixel ISFET array chip and (2) a 16×16-pixel Multi-Corder chip were fully understood. Therefore, a high-speed instrumentation system was constructed for the ISFET array chip with a maximum readout speed of 500 frames per second, with 2D and 3D imaging capability, as well as single pixel analysis. Follow by that, a miniaturised measurement platform was implemented for the Multi-Corder chip that has three different sensor arrays, which are ISFET, PD and SPAD. All the sensor arrays can be operated independently or together (ionic sensor and one of the optical sensors).
Several post-processing steps were investigated to allow suitable fabrication process on small 4×4 mm2 CMOS chips. Post-processing of the CMOS chips was first established using room temperature sputtering process for Ta2O5 layer, achieving Ta:O ratio of 1:1.77 and a surface roughness of 0.42 nm. This Ta2O5 layer was then fabricated on top of CMOS ISFETs, which improves the ISFET pH sensitivity to 45 mV/pH, with an average drift of 6.5 ± 8.6 mV/hour from chip to chip and a working pH range of 2 to 12. Furthermore, a layer of POMs was drop casted on top of Ta2O5 ISFET to make ISFET sensitive to potassium ions. This was investigated in terms of potassium ions sensitivity, hydrogen ions sensitivity and sodium ions as interfering background ions. The POMs Ta2O5 ISFET was found to have a net potassium sensitivity of 75 mV/pK, with a linear range between pH 1.5 to 3. Moreover, the POMs ISFET has -5 mV/pH in pH sensitivity, showing that it is selectivity towards potassium ions and not hydrogen ions. However, sodium ions were found to produce a large interference towards the pK sensitivity of POMs ISFET and reduced the pK sensitivity of POMs ISFET. Hence, further work is still required to modify POMs layer for better selectivity and sensitivity. Besides that, microfluidic channels were fabricated on top of the CMOS chips that could provide segregation for multiple enzyme assays on a single chip. In addition, a PDMS and a manual dam and fill method were developed to encapsulate the CMOS chips for wet biochemistry measurements.
The CMOS sensor array was found to have the ensemble averaging capability to reduce noise as a function of √N , where N is the number of sensors used for averaging. Several enzyme assays that include: hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, urease and lipase were tested on the ISFET sensor array. Moreover, using an optical sensor array, namely a PD on the Multi-Corder chip and using LED illumination, quantification of cholesterol levels in human blood serum was demonstrated. Enzyme kinetics calculations were performed for hexokinase and cholesterol oxidase assays and the results were comparable to that obtained from a bench top spectrophotometer. This shows the CMOS sensor array can be used as a low cost portable diagnostic device.
Several enzyme immobilisation techniques were explored but were unsuccessful. Alginate enzyme gel immobilisation with a 2D inkjet printer was found to be the best candidate to bio-functionalise the CMOS sensor array. The packaged chip was integrated with microfluidic channels and alginate enzyme gel immobilisation into a complete system, in order to perform an enzyme assay with its control experiments simultaneously on a single chip. As a proof-of-concept, this complete system has the potential to be used as a multiple metabolite quantification platform
5G Multi-Tier Handover with Multi-Access Edge Computing: A Deep Learning Approach
No full textThe research presented in this thesis discusses the potential enhancement of 5G multi-tier handover. This proposal will utilise two of 5G’s enabling technologies, multi-access edge computing (MEC) and machine learning (ML). MEC and ML techniques are believed to be the primary enablers for enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable and low latency communication (URLLC). The subset of ML that was chosen for this research is deep learning (DL), as it is great at learning long-term dependencies. A variant of artificial neural networks called a long short-term memory (LSTM) network is used in conjunction with a lookup table (LUT), as part of the proposed solution. Subsequently, edge computing virtualisation methods are utilised to reduce handover latency and increase overall throughput of the network. In addition to the proposed, this thesis analyses the validity of various other potential solutions such as multi-connectivity, cloud centralised radio access networks (Cloud C-RAN) and artificial intelligence (AI).
To implement the proposed algorithm, a software simulation of a multi-tier 5G heterogeneous network is developed, based on the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) standards for: channel models, schedulers, and handovers. This simulator provided the tools for the author to analyse and evaluate the feasibility of the proposed solution.
The results gained from the research was promising. It showed a 40−60% improvement in overall throughput under high user densities. Although the proposed scheme may increase the number of handovers, it is effective in reducing the handover failure (HOF) and Ping-Ping rates in higher user density scenarios by 30%, and 86% respectively, compared to current state-of-the-art. In conclusion, a detailed analysis was undertaken, and the aims of the research were satisfied
Metabolomics on CMOS for personalised medicine
No full textThe emergence of personalised and precision healthcare requires detailed knowledge of human molecular pathology. Genomics has been transformed by sequencing technologies that can unravel the human genome in 1 day for less than a thousand dollars. Recently, metabolomics, the quantitative measurement of small molecules, has emerged as a field to study an individual’s molecular profile. This is very important because a genome can only give a prediction of an individual’s propensity to a disease – genotyping, while a metabolome can provide immediate diagnosis of biochemical activity in human body – phenotyping. However, the present approach of measuring metabolites depends on large and expensive equipment such as NMR spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. More importantly, this equipment does not provide a single analytical platform to measure the entire metabolome. CMOS technology has made a major impact in personal mobile computing, digital imaging and communications as part of everyday life. CMOS provides a single integrated platform for sensing technologies, low-cost manufacturing and miniaturisation of microelectronic systems. CMOS has been used successfully to create an all-electronic sequencing technology. We anticipate that CMOS has the potential to allow multiple biomarkers to be monitored in parallel, thus paving the way for metabolome profiling. This review will provide a background to personalised medicine, in terms of genomics and metabolomics, to show the importance for future healthcare delivery. A theoretical background of enzymes for metabolite quantification will also be discussed. A description of DNA microarray technologies will be provided. A background of CMOS chemical sensor systems will be presented for DNA sequencing and metabolite quantification. Finally, a discussion of future CMOS sensor systems, microelectronics and integration technologies that could lead to new “omics” technologies, will be given
