ABDUL RAHMAN

The tocotrienol vitamin E has potent antioxidant property, however absorption is low due to high lipid solubility. A self emulsifying preparation of tocotrienol rich vitamin E (SF-TRE) had been reported to increase their bioavailability. This randomized, placebo controlled, blinded end point clinical study aimed to determine the effects of 50, 100 and 200 mg daily of SF-TRE and placebo for two months on arterial compliance and vitamin E blood levels. Assessment of arterial compliance by carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AI), plasma vitamin E, serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were taken before and after 2 months' treatment in 36 healthy males. Un-supplemented tocotrienol levels were low, after treatment, all SF-TRE treated groups had significantly higher plasma alpha, delta and delta tocotrienol concentrations compared to placebo. Augmentation index change from baseline to end of treatment for groups placebo, 50, 100, and 200 mg were 2.22+/-1.54, -6.59+/-2.84, -8.72+/-3.77, and -6.27+/-2.67% respectively (p=0.049, 0.049, and 0.047 respectively). Groups 100 and 200 mg showed significant improvement after treatment with pulse wave velocity reductions of 0.77 m/s and 0.65 m/s respectively (p=0.007 and p=0.002). There was no effect of SF-TRE on serum lipids. We conclude that there was a trend towards improvement in arterial compliance with 2 months' of SF-TRE.

Pulse wave analysis (PWA) combined with β2-agonist challenge has recently been used to assess endothelial function. β-2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) polymorphisms may affect response to β2-agonist. We determined whether β2AR polymorphisms influence endothelial response in our model using PWA and salbutamol.388 healthy Malay subjects (177 males, 211 females) were genotyped for 5 functionally important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of β2AR; 298 subjects proceeded with assessment of endothelial function. The parameter augmentation index (AIx) was recorded non-invasively using SphygmoCor. Recording of AIx at baseline was followed by administration of 500 µg sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). AIx recordings were repeated at 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min post-GTN. Subjects then inhaled 400 µg of salbutamol before AIx recordings at 5 min intervals up to 20 min. Maximum changes in AIx after GTN and salbutamol represented endothelium independent and endothelium dependent vasodilatation (EDV) respectively.Allele frequencies of mutated Gly16, Glu27, Ile164, − 20C and − 47C were 47%, 6.8%, 0%, 30% and 9.3% respectively. No significant differences in EDV were noted between genotype groups of each studied SNPs.Assessment of endothelial function using PWA and salbutamol was not influenced by β2AR polymorphisms.

The present study examines the effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on the renal haemodynamic and sodium excretory responses to noradrenaline in man. We studied the effects of intravenous noradrenaline (0.075 micrograms/kg per min) and enalapril pretreatment (5 mg/day for 5 days), alone and in combination, on urinary sodium excretion, effective renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate and segmental tubular function in nine normal subjects. The subjects were studied during maximal water diuresis. The clearance of inulin and of para-aminohippurate were used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow, respectively. Segmental tubule handling of sodium was assessed by the lithium clearance method. Noradrenaline alone decreased urinary sodium excretion (P < 0.01) and the effective renal plasma flow (P < 0.01) without altering the glomerular filtration rate. Enalapril pretreatment significantly attenuated this fall in sodium excretion (P < 0.05) and effective renal plasma flow (P < 0.05), and had a similar attenuating effect on the noradrenaline-induced decrease in the fractional excretion of lithium. The pressor response to noradrenaline infusion was not, however, influenced by the enalapril pretreatment. Enalapril blunts the renal vasoconstrictive effect and the antinatriuretic effect of noradrenaline in man. Our results indicate that there is an important interaction between the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system in the kidneys in man.

Data comparing the effect of losartan and perindopril on aortic stiffness among hypertensive subjects without A(1166)C polymorphism was not available. The short-term and long-term effects of losartan (50 mg) and perindopril (4 mg) on aortic stiffness measured as carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) were compared in 39 middle-aged Malay subjects with mild-to-moderate hypertension in a 4-month, double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-design study. Four-month treatment with both drugs showed a significant reduction in blood pressure (BP) (P < .005) and PWV (P < .05) as compared to the baseline. On the other hand 1-month treatment showed a significant reduction in BP only in perindopril group (P < .05) but not in the losartan group. There was no significant reduction in pulse pressure and PWV after 1 month treatment by both drugs. No significant difference was seen in reduction in BP after 1 month and 4 months treatment between the two drugs. Similarly no significan...

Recent development had allowed non-invasive assessment of microvascular function in vivo; however, the method has not been fully optimized and standardized. In this study, we aimed to characterize the "effective" occlusion duration needed to elicit sufficient postocclusive hyperemia (PORH) responses in forearm skin using laser Doppler fluximetry (LDF), in subjects with differing age, gender and menstrual phases. A total of 120 healthy subjects were studied (20 subjects each in the age ranges of 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 for both genders). Male subjects were randomized to receive 1, 2 or 3 min occlusion on three study days. Females attended six study days: the first three days (with different occlusion times) were performed during low estrogenic phase of menstrual cycle and subsequent three visits were done during high estrogenic phase. Skin perfusion was measured before, during and after occlusion using LDF. The magnitude and temporal courses of PORH were expressed as PORH max (...

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for increased morbidity and mortality in people with diabetes. Diabetic macrovasculopathy is associated with structural and functional changes in large arteries, which causes endothelial dysfunction, increased arterial stiffness, or decreased arterial distensability. Diabetic complications can be controlled and avoided by strict glycemic control, maintaining normal lipid profiles, regular physical exercise, adopting a healthy lifestyle and pharmacological interventions. Treatment goals for patients with type 2 diabetes specify targets for glycemia and other cardiometabolic risk factors, for example, hypertension and dyslipidemia. In recent years, special attention has been devoted to both thiazolidindiones (TZDs) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors as clinical trials revealed that these drugs may reduce the rate of progression to diabetes or delay the onset of diabetes, regression of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to normoglycemia and reduces the composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke in patients with diabetes. This review focuses on the potential roles of rosiglitazone, a member of TZD class of antidiabetic agents, and ramipril, an ACE inhibitor, in preventing the preclinical macrovasculopathy in diabetes and IGT population.

Abstract — The design and RF characteristics of planar dipole antenna facilitated with coplanar waveguide structure was presented. The dipole antennas were fabricated on semi-insulated GaAs substrates by using standard photolithography and lift-off process. As expected, it ...

A Schottky diode was designed and fabricated on an n-AlGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure for RF power detection. The processing steps used in the fabrication were the conventional steps used in standard GaAs processing. Current–voltage measurements showed that the devices had rectifying properties with a barrier height of 0.5289–0.5468 eV. The fabricated Schottky diodes detected RF signals well

The Schottky diodes enjoined with coplanar waveguides are investigated for applications in on-chip rectenna device applications without insertion of a matching circuit. The design, fabrication, DC characteristics and RF-to-DC conversion of the AlGaAs/GaAs HEMT Schottky diode is presented. The RF signals are well converted by the fabricated Schottky diodes with cut-off frequency up to 25 GHz estimated in direct injection experiments.

ABSTRACT Pulse-wave analysis (PWA) combined with pharmacological challenges has recently been used as a method to measure endothelial function. This involved administration of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), followed by salbutamol as endothelium-independent and -dependent vasodilators, respectively. The duration of GTN effect needs to be established before the administration of salbutamol. Baseline augmentation index (AIx) and pulse-wave velocity (PWV) measurements were taken in 11 healthy female subjects (mean age 23.27 +/- 3.66 years). Sublingual GTN 0.5 mg was administered for 3 min, followed by AIx and PWV measurements every 5 min till 20 min and then every 10 min until 40 min post-GTN. Maximum change in AIx post-GTN was at 3 min with a mean change from the baseline of -17.86% +/- 4.40% (p < 0.001). There were no significant changes noted after 30 and 40 min with mean change being -0.82% +/- 2.61% and 0.14% +/- 3.20%, respectively (p > 0.05). Significant changes in PWV were noted at 5 and 10 min with the mean change of -0.33 +/- 0.36 m/s and -0.33 +/- 0.35 m/s, respectively (p = 0.01). There were no further changes noted at 15 min and thereafter (p > 0.05). A duration of at least 30 min after GTN is required for AIx and PWV values to reach their baseline. Thus, the administration of salbutamol should be given only after 30 min of sublingual GTN for the assessment of endothelial function.

Bangunan-bangunan warisan merupakan satu sejarah negara yang amat bernilai dan berharga. Bagi mengekalkan bangunan-bangunan warisan ini, pemuliharaan atau penyelenggaraan hendaklah dijalankan untuk menjamin keutuhannya dari segi reka bentuk dan nilai seni bina. Prinsip-prinsip pemuliharaan yang seharusnya dipraktikkan adalah pembaikan, penyelenggaraan, pemuliharaan, pembangunan semula dan penyesuai gunaan. Kesan peninggalan sejarah seperti bangunan warisan dapat dijadikan sebagai ...

Tocotrienols are a class of vitamin E reported to be potent antioxidants, besides having the ability to inhibit the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme. This study assessed the effects of 3 doses of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E (TRE) on plasma tocotrienol isomer concentration, arterial compliance, plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), aortic systolic blood pressure (ASBP), serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in healthy males. This randomised, blinded end-point, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a parallel design involved 36 healthy male subjects who took either an oral placebo or TRE at doses of 80, 160 or 320 mg daily for 2 mo. Baseline and end-of-treatment measurements of vitamin E concentration, arterial compliance [assessed by aortic femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AI)], ASBP, plasma TAS, serum TC and LDL-C were taken. Baseline tocotrienol isomer concentrations were low and not detectable in some subjects. Upon supplementation, all TRE-treated groups showed significant difference from placebo for their change in alpha, gamma and delta tocotrienol concentrations from baseline to end of treatment. There was a linear dose and blood level relationship for all the isomers. There was no significant difference between groups for their change in PWV, AI, plasma TAS, ASBP, TC or LDL-C from baseline to end of treatment. Groups 160 mg (p = 0.024) and 320 mg (p = 0.049) showed significant reductions in their ASBP. Group 320 mg showed a significant 9.2% improvement in TAS. TRE at doses up to 320 mg daily were well tolerated. Treatment significantly increased alpha, delta, and gamma tocotrienol concentrations but did not significantly affect arterial compliance, plasma TAS, serum TC or LDL-C levels in normal subjects.

Bangunan-bangunan warisan merupakan satu sejarah negara yang amat bernilai dan berharga. Bagi mengekalkan bangunan-bangunan warisan ini, pemuliharaan atau penyelenggaraan hendaklah dijalankan untuk menjamin keutuhannya dari segi reka bentuk dan nilai seni bina. Prinsip-prinsip pemuliharaan yang seharusnya dipraktikkan adalah pembaikan, penyelenggaraan, pemuliharaan, pembangunan semula dan penyesuai gunaan. Kesan peninggalan sejarah seperti bangunan warisan dapat dijadikan sebagai ...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death globally. More people die of CVDs each year than from any other disease. Over 80% of CVD deaths occur in low and middle income countries and occur almost equally in male and female. In this paper, different computational models based on Bayesian Networks, Multilayer Perceptron,Radial Basis Function and Logistic Regression methods are presented to predict early risk detection of the cardiovascular event. A total of 929 (626 male and 303 female) heart attack data are used to construct the models.The models are tested using combined as well as separate male and female data. Among the models used, it is found that the Multilayer Perceptron model yields the best accuracy result.

The present study examines the role of alpha 1-adrenoceptors in determining the renal haemodynamic and sodium excretory responses to a physiological dose of angiotensin II in man. The effects of a low-dose infusion of angiotensin II (1 ng/kg per min) and a non-depressor dose of prazosin (0.25 mg), alone and in combination, on urinary sodium excretion (UNaV), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and segmental tubular function were studied in eight normal male subjects. Subjects were studied undergoing maximal water diuresis. Clearances of inulin and para-aminohippurate were employed to estimate GFR and ERPF, respectively. Segmental tubular handling was assessed by both lithium clearance (CLi) and solute-free water methods. Angiotensin II decreased UNaV without altering ERPF and GFR. Angiotensin II caused a significant fall in fractional CLi, which may indicate a proximal tubular effect of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II alone also increased fractional reabsorption of sodium delivered to the distal nephron, as evaluated by both the CLi method and by estimation of solute-free water clearance. When angiotensin II was given in combination with prazosin, which on its own had no apparent effects on any renal parameters, the antinatriuretic and tubular effects of angiotensin II were significantly blunted. These findings suggest that low doses of circulating angiotensin II are able to modulate UNaV by increasing sodium reabsorption in the proximal and, to some extent, the distal nephron segment in man. The study also showed that a non-depressor dose of prazosin blunted the renal effects of angiotensin II, thereby providing tentative evidence of a renal interaction between alpha-adrenoceptors and angiotensin II in man.

The validity of the assumption about stationarity of foreign exchange (fu-tures) rates and their determinants is crucial for estimating rational expectations-based exchange rate determination models for several reasons (eg, [18], [13], and [23], among others). Perhaps the most ...

ABSTRACT The Schottky diodes enjoined with coplanar waveguides are investigated for applications in on-chip rectenna device application without insertion of a matching circuit. The design, fabrication, DC characteristics and RF-to-DC conversion of the AlGaAs/GaAs HEMT Schottky diode is presented. The RF signals are well converted by the fabricated Schottky diodes with cut-off frequency up to 25 GHz estimated in direct injection experiments. The mW output power can be achieved by optimizing the material structure and ohmic metals so that lower series resistance is realized. Proper circuitry also should lead to maximum power conversion, for example the ground lines of the system are connected to the same point. Direct integration of the planar dipole antenna to the Schottky diode via coplanar waveguide transmission line may allow omission of any matching impedance circuit. The outcomes of these results provide conduit for breakthrough designs for ultra-low power on-chip rectenna device technology to be integrated in nanosystems.

... Electronic Device Application Farahiyah Mustafa1, Abdul Manaf Hashim1, Norfarariyanti Parimon1, Shaharin Fadzli Abd Rahman1, Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman1, Mohd Nizam Osman2, Azlan Abdul Aziz3 and Md Roslan Hashim3 ... [10] F. Mustafa, N. Parimon, AM Hashim ...

ABSTRACT Gallium Nitride (GaN) based materials are highly suitable for liquid-phase sensor applications due to their chemical stability and high internal piezoelectric polarization. The sensitivity of GaN surfaces in aqueous solutions and polar liquids has been investigated. For this purpose, two terminal devices fabricated on bulk Si doped-GaN structures and undoped-AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with unpassivated open area are used to measure the responses to the changes of the H+ concentration in aqueous solutions and the dipole moment in polar liquids. The I–V characteristics show that the devices are able to distinguish the variations of pH. It is observed that the drain current decreases linearly with pH for both device structures. Evaluating the sensitivity in aqueous solutions at VDS = 2V, a quite large current change is obtained for both structures. For the response to polar liquids, it is also found that the drain current decreases with the dipole moments. The results indicate that both devices are capable of distinguishing molecules with different dipole moments.

Page 1. Fabrication and Characterization of n-AlGaAs/GaAs Schottky Diode for Rectenna Device Application This article has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text article. 2011 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 17 012022 ...

The emotional, financial and social impact on caregivers of those with pediatric psychiatric, emotional and behavioral disorders has been poorly documented. This study sought to begin to remedy this by determining the utility of the Burden Assessment Scale (BAS) with this population. 300 parents seeking services within a major Canadian city were interviewed using the BAS and a follow up questionnaire on the clarity, comprehensiveness and acceptability of the BAS. The BAS was clear, acceptable and comprehensive for >80% of participants. Factor analysis revealed four factors compared to the original five factors found with adults. The BAS had a utility with this population and would be a valuable addition to standard information gathered but use of the total score only is recommended.

ABSTRACT A Driver's behavior is a major factor that contributes to the high accidents rates. However, if we are able to identify their behavior, it may be possible for us to detect driving idiosyncrasies that may prevent accidents. Therefore, this paper presents some simple and effective methods for an in-car data acquisition in collecting real time driving data. The data has been classified into three different driver's condition which leads into accident. They are happy expression, talking on the phone and normal driving. These data will be used to investigate the effectiveness of a driver's behavior which focusing on the driver's response towards the brake and gas pedals as well as its rate of change. From these data we will demonstrate simple yet effective technique in driver identification and driver verification. We use the kernel density estimation (KDE) as tools to extract features. Then, we use these features to recognize the emotion of the driver by using multi layer perceptron (MLP) as classifiers. The enhancement of driver's security, safety and comfort driving can be derived trough the performances of the driver's emotion verification which contribute to the development in the area of intelligent vehicle driver verification system.

ABSTRACT The current state-of-the-art speech emotion recognition approaches focus on discrete emotion classification to suit the users' need. However, in more practical perspective, emotion is deemed complex to be individually segregated and it is a continuous process that will change dynamically over time. Subsequently, no researcher can really claim of being able to find the threshold discriminating one emotion to another. In this paper, an alternative approach of Valence-Arousal is introduced based on the psychologists' understanding that emotion can be represented in two emotion primitives of Valence and Arousal. Empirical results show potential of the proposed approach, which achieved reasonable accuracy with better speech emotion understanding and analysis.