Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Sex-Steroids And Menstrual Cycle/Oestrous Phases On Knee Ligament Laxity In Humans And Rodents / Firouzeh Dehghan, Firouzeh Dehghan

Student Works (2010-2019)

The incidence of non-contact knee injury was reported higher in female than male. In female, the occurrence of this injury was related to different phases of the menstrual cycle. In view of this, we investigated the followings: (i) changes in knee laxity in rodent model under different sex-steroid influence; (ii) mechanisms underlying changes in knee laxity, which involves differential expression of relaxin receptors and (iii) correlation between knee laxity and serum levels of sex-steroids and relaxin at different phases of the menstrual cycle. In first part of the study, ovariectomized WKY rats were divided into different treatment groups (n=6 per …

Evaluation Of 151-Hydroxypurpurin-7-Lactone (G2) Derivatives, Boron Dipyrromethene (Bodipy) And Rosamine Analogues As Photosensitisers For Photodynamic Cancer Therapy / Lim Siang Hui, Siang Hui Lim

Student Works (2010-2019)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic strategy that utilises the administration of a photosensitiser along with light irradiation to generate reactive singlet oxygen that destruct pathological lesions. However, the current clinically approved photosensitisers for the treatment of cancer present several limitations such as a lack in ideal photophysical and photochemical properties, poor solubility and adverse effects i.e. prolonged photosensitisation or pain following PDT. Therefore, it is necessary to discover and develop new classes of photosensitiser with more ideal properties. From our earlier data, we had shown that 151-hydroxypurpurin-7-lactone dimethyl ester (G2), a semisynthetic cyclic-tetrapyrrole, was a potent photosensitiser. In this …

Investigation Of Lipid-Lowering Mechanism Of Tamarindus Indica Fruit Pulp In Hepg2 Cells Using Proteomic And Transcriptomic Approaches / Ursula Chong Rho Wan, Ursula Rho Wan Chong

Student Works (2010-2019)

Tamarindus indica (T. indica), or tamarind, is an edible fruit widely used in many applications including culinary, industrial, and medicinal purposes. It has been shown to exhibit hypolipidaemic effects in hamsters and humans. Previous studies have also shown that the methanol extract of T. indica fruit pulp regulated genes related to lipid metabolism. However, the lipid-lowering mechanism of the fruit has not been fully understood. The objective of this present study is to determine the lipid-lowering mechanism of T. indica fruit pulp using proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. Proteomic analyses were first performed to formulate a hypothesis on the hypolipidaemic action …

Molecular Characterization Of Putative Virulence Determinants And Identification Of Specific Immunogenic Polypeptides For The Serological Diagnosis Of Burkholderia Pseudomallei Infections / Puah Suat Moi, Suat Moi Puah

Student Works (2010-2019)

The Gram-negative saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an infectious disease which is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. This bacterium possesses many virulence factors which are thought to contribute to its survival and pathogenicity. Six genes BPSL2033, BP1026B_I2784, BP1026B_I2780, BURPS1106A_A0094, BURPS1106A_1131 and BURPS1710A_1419 were identified earlier in a screen by PCR-based subtractive hybridization, using a virulent clinical isolate of B. pseudomallei and a laboratory-acquired attenuated strain of the same isolate of B. pseudomallei. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to extensively characterize these genes at the molecular level, as well as one additional …

Assessment And Analysis Of Genomic Diversity And Biomarkers In Sabahan Indigenous Populations / Kee Boon Pin, Boon Pin Kee

Student Works (2010-2019)

Ever since the proposal of the recent African origin of modern humans and its various opposing concepts, evolutionary studies have been focusing on the discovery of timelines for such events based on traceable records in archaic remains and contemporary human populations. Although the migration of anatomically modern humans between the 7 major continents in the near 120,000 years has been explained and fit well in the “out of Africa” hypothesis, human movement within these continents remains elusive. Human demic events in Southeast Asia region have also been the heat of debate among researchers. It has been proposed that this region …

Immunomodulatory, Gastroprotective And Wound Healing Potential Of Malaysian Medicinal Plants (Phaleria Macrocarpa And Tinospora Crispa) / Walaa Najm Abood, Walaa Najm Abood

Student Works (2010-2019)

Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl and Tinospora crispa (L.) are considered im-portant traditional medicines commonly used in Malaysia and South East Asian coun-tries. In this study, the ethanol extracts of P. macrocarpa fruit and T. crispa stems were evaluated for their immunomodulatory, gastroprotective and wound healing potential. In addition, acute toxicity and antioxidant activities were investigated using DPPH and FRAP values as well as the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. The findings of this study suggest that the high antioxidant activity that was found in P. macrocarpa and T. crispa was due to the high-level of phenol and flavonoid content. …

Anti-Bacterial And Cytotoxic Effects Of King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) Venom L-Amino Acid Oxidase / Lee Mui Li, Mui Li Lee

Student Works (2010-2019)

King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase (OH-LAAO), a heat stable enzyme, has been shown to exhibit bactericidal activity against several strains of clinical isolates Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Its potency was compared with some common antibiotics such as cefotaxime, kanamycin, tetracycline, vancomycin and penicillin. King cobra venom LAAO was effective in inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.78 μg/mL (0.006 μM) and 1.56 μg/mL (0.012 μM) against S. aureus and S. epidermidis, respectively. The MICs are comparable to the MICs of the antibiotics tested. However, the OH-LAAO was moderately effective against the Gram-negative bacteria …

Hepatoprotective Role Of Vitex Negundo And Caesalpinia Sappan In Thioacetamide-Induced Liver Injury In Rats / Farkaad A.Abdul Kadir, Abdul Kadir Farkaad A.

Student Works (2010-2019)

Researchers focused on developing herbal therapies as pharmacological medicines to treat liver cirrhosis that is accompanied by distortion in liver functions. This study evaluated the mechanisms of the hepatoprotective activity of Vitex negundo (VN) and Caesalpinia sappan (CS) ethanolic extracts on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis in male rats. A computer-aided prediction of hepatoprotective activity was primarily performed with prediction activity spectra of substances (PASS) program. The antioxidant properties of the crude extracts of VN and CS were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) assays. The hepatoprotective effects of …

Antigenic Evolution Of Dengue Virus In Malaysia / Mohammed Bashar Danlami, Mohammed Bashar Danlami

Student Works (2010-2019)

Neutralization escape mutant has played an important role in antigenic evolution of various virus-causing diseases. DENV, the causative agent of dengue has been shown to escape antibody neutralization, thereby causing an epidemic outbreak. The pattern through which DENV escape neutralization that leads to antigenic evolution, however, has not been thoroughly investigated in hyper endemic countries. It is hypothesized that, the highly susceptible DENV demonstrates a clear pattern of antigenic evolution from being minor strains (less frequent during an outbreak) to dominant strains (very frequent during an outbreak). This suggests that the minor strains may act as a springboard for the …

Development Of A Multiplex Pcr Detection System And Identification Of Binding Peptides For Human Plasmodium Species / Chew Ching Hoong, Ching Hoong Chew

Student Works (2010-2019)

Malaria is one of the most serious global health challenges. Approximately 3.3 billion people live in malaria-endemic areas and the disease threatens the lives of more than one-third of the world’s population. Malaria is caused by an eukaryotic protozoa Plasmodium and transmitted through the bite of female Anopheles mosquito. The known causative agents of human malaria include Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and recently included P. knowlesi which is recognized as a zoonotic parasite. Malaria is a treatable disease, however the disease can become severe, leading to morbidity if untreated, especially for infections by two potential fatal …

A Legal Analysis On Law And Policy On Conservation Of Forest In Peninsular Malaysia / Adzidah Binti Yaakob, Adzidah Yaakob

Student Works (2010-2019)

Forest performs multiple functions and requires a diligent commitment to its conservation. This green cover in Peninsular Malaysia, although accounting for only a small percentage of the land area, shelters a unique range of biodiversity living within it. Nonetheless, this natural resource of Peninsular Malaysia appears to be dwindling, mostly as a result of the actions of humankind, even though this green cover is governed by sets of laws. The protected area, a status secured by the law, is apparently easily excised from the government gazette, and the status of permanent forest use is changed to non-permanent forest use, for …

The Microrna Deregulation In Colorectal Cancer / Yong Fung Lin, Fung Lin Yong

Student Works (2010-2019)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the carcinoma of the colon and rectum in the gastrointestinal system. CRC is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide. The limitations of the currently available biomarkers and technologies for CRC screening and surveillance have highlighted the necessity of finding novel biomarkers. Recently, microRNA (miRNA)-based studies have rendered remarkable contribution in the elucidation of mechanisms of carcinogenesis. miRNAs are short, non-coding RNA molecules that act as regulators of gene expression through messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation or translational inhibition. Blood miRNA expression profiles offer great potential as non-invasive biomarkers. In the …

Terjemahan Kata Kerja Bahasa Jepun Ke Bahasa Melayu Dalam Sari Kata Filem Animasi Jepun / Sarinah Binti Sharif, Sarinah Sharif

Student Works (2010-2019)

Disertasi ini mengkaji tentang terjemahan kata kerja bahasa Jepun (BJ) kepada bahasa Melayu (BM) dalam sari kata dua buah filem animasi Jepun. Dua buah filem animasi Jepun berkenaan berjudul Majo no Takkyubin （魔女の宅急便）dan Umi ga Kikoeru（海が聞こえる). Kajian ini bertujuan meneliti dan mengenalpasti pola variasi kata kerja yang terdapat dalam kapsyen bahasa Jepun (bahasa sumber) dan teks sari kata bahasa Melayu (bahasa sasaran) dengan membandingkan bentuk-bentuk morfologi dan makna kata kerja daripada kedua-dua bahasa. Perbandingan ini sekaligus bertujuan mencari perkaitan antara konjugasi kata kerja bahasa Jepun dan padanannya dalam bahasa Melayu. Disamping itu, kajian ini juga dijalankan untuk melihat bagaimana kata …

The Role Of Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate In Enterovirus A71 Infections And The Development Of Antiviral Agents Targeting Viral Attachment And Rna Translation Initiation / Tan Chee Wah, Chee Wah Tan

Student Works (2010-2019)

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is the main causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Recent EV-A71 outbreaks in Asia-Pacific were not limited to mild HFMD, but were associated with neurological complications including aseptic meningitis, brainstem encephalitis and deaths. The absence of licensed therapeutics for clinical use has intensified research into anti-EV-A71 development. Since virus-host receptor interaction is the first essential event during virus infection, inhibitors that block this event could act as potential therapeutics. EV-A71 VP1 capsid protein is involved in viral-host receptor interactions and carries multiple receptor binding sites. Screening of 95 overlapping peptides covering the entire EV-A71 …

An Inquiry Into Privatisation’S Impact On Healthcare Services In Malaysia / Latifa Bibi Binti Musafar Hameed, Latifa Bibi Musafar Hameed

Student Works (2010-2019)

Malaysia has experienced significant improvements in the delivery of healthcare services since independence. The Malaysian healthcare system has transformed into a resilient dual-tiered parallel system, with a sizable and booming private sector. The unprecedented growth of the private medical sector has had wide ranging implications for the Malaysian health care system. This thesis seeks to examine the consequences of privatisation on the delivery of healthcare services in Malaysia by following the analytical themes associated with the process. The first analytical theme addresses the consequences of the policy on healthcare expenditure borne by the public and private sectors. The second analytical …

Development And Evaluation Of Health Education Learning Package (Help) To Control Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Among Orang Asli School Children In Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia / Ahmed Khalaf S. Al-Delaimy, Al-Delaimy Ahmed Khalaf S

Student Works (2010-2019)

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, also known as soil-transmitted helminthiasis, are highly prevalent among Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was carried out to develop a health education package for STH infections, and to evaluate what impact such a package could have in terms of reducing the incidence and intensity of STH infections among Orang Asli schoolchildren in Pahang, Malaysia. To identify the key risk factors of STH in Orang Asli communities, we applied an extensive mixed methods approach which relied on PRECEDE-PROCEED and Health Belief models and involved an intensive literature review, as well as community-based discussions with …

Socio-Economic Status Of Women In Micro Credit Self Help Groups In Chennai, India / S. Hemavathy Nithyanandhan, S.Hemavathy Nithyanandhan

Student Works (2010-2019)

The Microcredit Self Help Group (SHG) programme in India is an important institutional device used to improve the status of women in India in terms of poverty reduction and women empowerment. The SHG is an effective strategy to provide financial services to poor women, who are excluded from accessing financial services, and offered micro credits for their income generating activities and other non-economic loans targeting improvement in the standards of living. The aim of this dissertation was to establish the extent to which women’s participation in SHGs and their involvement in the group activities improved their socio economic conditions. The …

The Physical Environment As A Three-Dimensional Textbook For Environmental Education In Malaysian Primary Schools / Kong Seng Yeap, Seng Yeap Kong

Student Works (2010-2019)

Environmental education (EE) for primary schools in Malaysia is often linked to abstract representation in a featureless classroom. What has often been overlooked is the potential use of physical environment to enrich the EE experience. Instead of focusing on what is taught and how it is taught, equal attention should be given to the physical environment in which EE occurs. With the increased recognition that EE should find a special consideration in educational facilities design, a small, growing literature about the subject is emerging. Practitioners and scholars attempt to bond architecture and EE by designing physical environment as a threedimensional …

Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes And The Predictors For Survival Of Tb/Hiv Co-Infected Patients In The Klang Valley, Malaysia / Ismawati Binti Ismail, Ismawati Ismail

Student Works (2010-2019)

Background: Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (TB/HIV) co-infection are important global public health problems. Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common opportunistic infection and the leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients. Co-infection with TB and HIV is a situation that is becoming rampant worldwide and Malaysia is no exception. However, there are no substantial data concerning the co-infection of both diseases in this country. Objectives: To determine the risk factors for defaulters of TB treatment and predictors of death among TB/HIV co-infected patients in Malaysia. Methods: Medical records at the time of TB diagnosis and subsequent follow-up of all newly …

Platelet-Rich Plasma (Prp) For The Treatment Of Muscle Injury / Mohamad Shariff A Hamid, A Hamid Mohamad Shariff

Student Works (2010-2019)

Muscle injury particularly the hamstring group is the most common type of sports related injury among athletes. Despite its frequent occurrence, the best treatment for hamstring injury is not known. Athletes affected by muscle injury often need considerable amount of time to recover. Recently autologous biological products are being used for treatment of soft tissue injury including that of muscles. Off recent, an autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is one of the ‘hot topics’ discussed in literatures. A systematic review of the available literatures on PRP therapy showed evidences to support PRP use for rotator cuff injury, lateral epicondylitis (tennis …

Assessment Of Urban Public Spaces: Cases Of Kuala Lumpur City Center / Amir Hossein Askari, Amir Hossein Askari

Student Works (2010-2019)

Public open spaces are vital elements of urban fabrics that animate communities in cities. They are appropriate spaces for performing cultural gathering or declaring political freedom. These significant places provide people with different facilities as well as social and health-promoting opportunities. Successful public open spaces meet the needs of people of different social classes, ethnicities, and in general different backgrounds. These substantially beneficial spaces in cities endow urbanites with physical, social, and psychological comfort. Investigating the visions of the City Hall Kuala Lumpur shows that the City Center lacks successful public open spaces that meet users’ needs. Therefore, the main …

Digital Puppetry Of Wayang Kulit Kelantan: A Study Of Its Visual Aesthetics / Khor Kheng Kia, Kheng Kia Khor

Student Works (2010-2019)

Wayang kulit Kelantan, a form of traditional shadow puppet theatre in Malaysia, is threatened with imminent extinction yet no significant attempts were made to preserve this cultural heritage. It is clear that with the current situation in Malaysia and the level of official support, wayang kulit Kelantan is unlikely to last long. Several researchers have suggested that traditional wayang kulit Kelantan to be digitalised into digital media so that it could be watched on the media screen in order to provide greater accessibility and flexibility. The digital puppetry of traditional wayang kulit Kelantan is very helpful in promoting this art …

The Use Of Alginate As A Potential Chondrogenic Differentiation Promoter Of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells And Its Application / Havva Dashtdar, Dashtdar Havva

Student Works (2010-2019)

Alginate culture system offers an ideal 3-Dimensional microenvironment for the re-differentiation of chondrocytes following its isolation from its environment and 2D culture expansion. It has also been shown that this material supports chondrogenesis for mesenchymal stromal cells in vitro. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been considered a potential cell source for cartilage repair. However, successful translation of such stem cell therapy into clinical trials using alginate as a carrier requires better understanding of the complex processes involved in the differentiation of MSCs. Changes in chondrogenic microenvironment may induce different outcomes during chondrogenesis, i.e. either stable chondrocyte-like phenotype or …

Mechanisms And Ecological Role Of Carbon Transfer Within Coastal Seascapes, Glenn A. Hyndes, Ivan Nagelkerken, Rebecca Mcleod, Rod Connolly, Paul S. Lavery, Mathew A. Vanderklift

Research outputs 2013

Worldwide, coastal systems provide some of the most productive habitats, which potentially influence a range of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through the transfer of nutrients and energy. Several reviews have examined aspects of connectivity within coastal seascapes, but the scope of those reviews has been limited to single systems or single vectors. We use the transfer of carbon to examine the processes of connectivity through multiple vectors in multiple ecosystems using four coastal seascapes as case studies. We discuss and compare the main vectors of carbon connecting different ecosystems, and then the natural and human-induced factors that influence the magnitude …

Creative Music Neurotechnology With Symphony Of Minds Listening, E Miranda, D Lloyd, Z Josipovic, D Williams

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

A Method Of Pricing European Style Equity Options, David Harris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study of option pricing has a very short history, when compared with other elements of economics. Since the publication of a method to price European style equity options by Fischer Black and Myron Scholes in 1973 a vast amount of research on option pricing has occurred. Ultimately, the pricing of equity options depends upon the match of the model and reality. A new method to price option contracts is proposed. It is argued that the distributional assumptions of standard models are uncorrelated with nature. A new model is proposed as a start to a new class of models.

Exploring Impact Philanthropy, Altruistic, Hedonic, And Egoistic Motivations To Support Animal Causes, Clinton Amos, Gary R. Holmes, Anthony T. Allred

AMTP Proceedings 2014

Due to unpredictable economic turbulence, it is imperative that nonprofit organizations understand and implement segmentation practices to better target donors to maintain continual growth in donations. While such strategies are well implemented in for-profit arenas, non-profit organizations still lag behind in the implementation of segmentation and targeting practices. The targeting of donors by nonprofit organizations tends to be unfocused and sporadic at best. Early research on the practice of segmenting potential donors suggest that nonprofit firms should resist profiling their existing donors based upon demographic characteristics alone and should rely on examining demographic variables in relation to meaningful motivational forces. …

Examining Childbirth-Related Trauma And Its Effect On Maternal Self-Efficacy And Appraisal Of Infant Temperament, Teresa B. Stire

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is estimated that 3--9% of women will meet full diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth, with another 20 to 40% being partially symptomatic for the disorder. While precedents and associated factors leading to childbirth related PTSD have been fairly well researched, the postpartum outcomes such as the mother's perception of herself in the parenting role, and her appraisal of her infant's temperament have been far less studied. Other psychiatric disorders have been linked to lower estimations of parental self efficacy and more negative views of infant temperament. This study examined childbirth related trauma and its effect …

Effects Of Exploitation On An Overabundant Species: The Lesser Snow Goose Predicament, David N. Koons

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Invasive and overabundant species are an increasing threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning world-wide. As such, large amounts of money are spent each year on attempts to control them. These efforts can, however, be thwarted if exploitation is compensated demographically or if populations simply become too numerous for management to elicit an effective and rapid functional response.
2. We examined the influence of these mechanisms on cause-specific mortality in lesser snow geese using multistate capture–reencounter methods. The abundance and destructive foraging behaviours of snow geese have created a trophic cascade that reduces (sub-) Arctic plant, insect and avian biodiversity, bestowing them …

The Importance Of Institutional Culture At A Technical College, Sarah Adams

Dissertations (1934 -)

This is a qualitative study about the importance of institutional culture at a particular technical college in Wisconsin. It examines the administrators' understanding of their institution's culture, the importance they attach to the culture, and how they perceive they both manage and influence their institution's culture. Bergquist and Pawlak's (2008) work, Engaging the Six Cultures of the Academy, is used as the analytic framework. Key factors that emerged were the importance and role of the college's mission, the importance of the college's responsiveness to the community, and the necessity of administrators being purposeful in their involvement in the culture of …