Source signal detection plays important roles in many real-world target searching problems. Source detection is necessary before a full search process utilizing the detected signal can be performed where minimizing the detection time and maximizing the search space exploration or coverage are the main problems. In this paper, an optimized Levy Flight algorithm known as a Distributed Levy Flight (DLF) for swarm agents is proposed. The DLF algorithm is optimized by means of repulsive artificial potential force to disperse the agents in order to optimize the search space coverage and detection time. Additionally, to integrate cooperative behavior, an artificial attractive force is used to maintain communication among the agents. The results showed that the proposed DLF algorithm successfully improve detection time (113.1s) and area coverage (78.3%) compared to the existing algorithms: Brownian Walk (325.5s, 31.7%), Correlated Random Walk (356.2s, 35.1%), Levy Flight (201.3s, 56.6%), Levy .....

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Leptospirosis is a re-emerging global disease that has become endemic in Malaysia. The transmissions usually occur between animals especially rats to rats and rats to humans. Since, it is an easily contractable disease that can be transmitted directly through contact with infected rats urine or indirectly from the environment such as via water and soil, it is very challenging to curb this disease from infecting humans. Poor understanding of the disease and lack of epidemiological data also made leptospirosis is difficult to control. To cope with this problem, a leptospirosis disease transmission model is developed to study the mechanism of leptospirosis disease spread over continuous-time that may help to predict future caused of an outbreak. This study aims to construct a continuous-time and discrete-space stochastic SIR-L-SI (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered Humans-Leptospires in the Environment-Susceptible, Infectious Rats) of leptospirosis disease transmission to estimate the risk .....

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INTRODUCTION: Malaysia has recorded a sporadic increase in vaccine-preventable diseases in many different states such as Johor, Perak, Selangor, and Sabah, to name a few. What is more worrying was the drastic drop in vaccination for children especially the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination during the early period of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. On this basis, this paper is intended to interrogate why vaccine uptake has decreased over the years. When vaccination became a global concern with the surge of COVID-19 cases in the first quarter of 2020, further questions were posed to understand the reality behind vaccine rejections and refusals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study employs a focus group discussion and in-depth interviews to explore the vaccine refusal phenomenon in Malaysia. Theoretical sampling led to the recruitment of participants from health institution, media organisation, and vaccine refusal individuals as they are useful to provide different yet connected insig.....

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The chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Alphonsea elliptica (Annonaceae) growing in Malaysia was investigated for the first time. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and fully characterized by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 45 components (98.4%) were successfully identified in the essential oil, which were characterized by high proportions of ?-caryophyllene (20.2%), ?-elemene (8.6%), ?-humulene (8.5%), germacrene D (7.2%), and bicyclogermacrene (6.0%). The cytotoxicity of the essential oil was evaluated using an MTT assay. The essential oil exhibited cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines, which are HepG2, MCF7, and A549, with the IC50 values 75.2, 65.8, and 68.5 ?g/mL, respectively. The tested essential oil showed moderate in vitro lipoxygenase activity with an IC50 value 64.8 ?g/mL. The present study highlights the potential of using essential oil as an alternative for developing.....

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Pavetta genus belongs to the family Rubiaceae. The genus is used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, including hemorrhoids, headaches, urinary conditions, ulcerated nose, and drops. The present study describes the investigation of the phytochemicals from Pavetta graciliflora and their lipoxygenase inhibitory activity. The isolation and purification of the compounds were carried out on the extracts using various chromatographic methods and identified by directly comparing their spectroscopic data with the respective published data. The isolated compounds were tested for anti-inflammatory activity by using lipoxygenase assay. Fractionation and purification of the leaves extract of P. graciliflora led to the isolation and identification of seven phenolics; (+)-catechin (1), (+)-epicatechin (2), quercetin (3), kaempferol (4), myricetin (5), apigenin (6), and luteolin (7), together with ?-sitosterol (8), ?-sitostenone (9), and lupeol (10). Isolated compounds demonstrated rema.....

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Plants of the genus Piper have long been used as medicinal herbs. The chemistry of Piper species has been widely investigated, and phytochemicals investigations led to the isolation of a number of physiologically active compounds. This study was carried out to investigate the phyto - chemicals isolated from the leaf and stem extracts of Piper ornatum. Cold extraction of the dried powdered leaf and stem was employed to extract the phytochemicals according to the polarity gradient of hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The phytochemicals were obtained using chromatography techniques (column chromatography and prep-TLC) and their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic analysis (IR, NMR and MS) and comparison with literature. The isolation was successfully led to the identification of 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (1), 4',7-dihydroxy-3',5',5-trimethoxyflavone (2), 4'-hydroxy-3',5',5,7-tetramethoxyflavone (5) and 3',4',5,5',7-pentamethoxyflavone (6), together with piperine (3) and ?-sitosterol .....

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Purpose This study aims to develop a teaching model of the Malay language for non-native and foreign speakers in schools. Implementing this model can assist educators in teaching the Malay language to students who do not use it as their first language in everyday use. Methodology This study used a qualitative approach to develop teaching models for non-native and foreign Malay speakers. Interviews were conducted with 27 teachers and 23 stakeholders who are experts in teaching the Malay language, especially in teaching non-native speakers. A prototype model was developed thematically as a result of interviews using ATLAS.ti 22. Further, the prototype model was used by ten teachers from primary, secondary, and international schools in their teaching. Findings This study has succeeded in developing a model for teaching the Malay language to non-native speakers and foreigners that includes five elements: teaching strategies, individual differences, input, social, and motivation. This model.....

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Essential oils hold tremendous medicinal attributes and are greatly exploited industrially worldwide. Lindera is an important genus of the Lauraceae family of plants which are known for their medicinal values. In the present study, eleven studies reported on Lindera essential oils were selected and reviewed. Then the variability of essential oil components in the genus Lindera were assessed by multivariate analysis. The chemical analysis enabled the identification of qualitative and quantitative differences among the essential oils. The essential oils were characterized by high proportions of germacrene B, spathulenol, nerolidol, ?-caryophyllene, dihydromyrcene, furanosesquiterpenoid, sesquithuriferol, and linalool. Then, the differences in the chemical profiles of the essential oil were confirmed by the multivariate statistical analysis, which was determined via principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The analysis classified the Lindera species i.....

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This article undertakes a systematic literature review, employing the PRISMA method, to analyse university student enrolment from 2020 to 2023, a period significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is guided by key research questions: i)What theories or conceptual paradigms underpin the study?, ii) What variables intricately interface with the nuanced landscape of university student enrolment?, iii) Where is the designated research setting?, iv) What are the tools/approaches/models used for data analysis? and v) What are the main findings about student enrolment?. Employing a stringent PRISMA methodology, 17 articles were meticulously selected. These articles were subjected to qualitative appraisal based on predefined criteria, ensuring a focus on high-quality, relevant studies. The findings from these articles highlight significant themes: the rapid transition to online learning, the impact of socioeconomic factors on education access, trends towards internationalisation, the.....

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In contemporary society, the ubiquitous use of the Internet has become an unavoidable aspect of daily life. However, unregulated usage carries the potential for addiction, leading to a heightened sense of disconnection from the tangible world of technology. This empirical investigation conducted a quantitative exploration to establish the connection between Internet addiction, depression, and the willingness to utilise counselling services among the student body affiliated with one of Universiti Putra Malaysias residential colleges. The sample, consisting of 283 students, was meticulously selected through random sampling and represented a spectrum from first-year to final-year students. Data collection was executed through a structured questionnaire comprising three distinct instruments: the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) inventory. A preliminary analysis of the.....

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