39506 research outputs found
Sort by
Experimental Investigation on Electrical and Physicochemical Properties of POME-Based TiO2-ZnO HNF Under Transesterification Process and Thermal Ageing
Get PDFMineral-based oil is a staple in the transformer industry due to its outstanding dielectric properties as an insulation system and its ability to allow electrical power network operation. The transition towards a more sustainable insulating oil in transformers instead of traditional mineral-based oil has been the subject of study for many years. Alternatives to a biodegradable resource, particularly palm oil, have been explored due to its abundance and properties that can mimic those of mineral-based oil. Recent developments have shown improvements in electrical insulation by combining palm oil's benefits and nanoparticles, known as monotype nanofluid (MNF). While ongoing studies on MNFs have yielded major findings, the investigation of hybrid nanofluid (HNF) has not yet become common. This research focuses on the production of POME-based HNFs, which involves three-phase experimental procedures (POME preparation using transesterification, HNF preparation using a two-step method involving TiO2 and ZnO NPs with concentrations of 0.05 g/L, 0.10 g/L, 0.15 g/L, and 0.20 g/L, and accelerated thermal ageing at 135 ℃ at 0-hr, 50-hrs, 500-hrs, and 1000-hrs). Compared to other concentrations, 0.05 g/L of TiO2-ZnO HNF showed the steadiest increase for AC BDV from 26.8 to 61.4 kV as the ageing time increased, as well as an increment from 36.4 to 290.8 %. The densities and viscosities of the POME-based TiO2-ZnO HNFs fall in the acceptable range of 0.86 to 0.89 g/cm3 and 6.86 to 8.00 cSt at 40 ℃, as per ASTM D7777 and ASTM D445, respectively. Based on FTIR spectroscopy, the molecular structure and chemical bonding of the pure POME and POME-based TiO2ZnO HNFs and UV-Vis spectroscopy on the variation concentrations on the stability of TiO2-ZnO HNFs did not significant change. These results provide insight into the performance of TiO2-ZnO HNFs as insulation in an actual transformer
Independent designers and the future of sustainable fashion : A qualitative inquiry
Get PDFThis study aims to investigate how independent designer labels incorporate sustainable design methods into their products, thus allowing designers to contribute to the development of sustainable products. The study was conducted through qualitative interviews with eight independent
designers in Beijing, China. The results were analyzed thematically to conclude how independent designers incorporate sustainable design methods into their designs and the challenges that independent designers face when practicing sustainable design and dealing with them. This paper explores the relationship between designers and sustainable design from three perspectives. Firstly, designers, as key factors in the transition of the apparel industry towards sustainability, have found from the concept and evolution of sustainable fashion that the right design approach plays a vital role in the environmental,
economic, and social factors of the product cycle. Secondly, the researchers look at the perspective of independent fashion brand designers' labels, how they are confronted with sustainability issues, and how designers are improving, how designers are facing the challenges of sustainable design in the future, and how to integrate sustainable design methods into their labels
PERCEPTIONS OF MUSLIM CONVERTS ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA IN COMBATING ISLAMOPHOBIA : A PHENOMENOLOGY STUDY IN SABAH AND SARAWAK
No full textThis study examines Muslim converts’ perceptions in a Muslim-majority country of the influence of mass media (television and radio) and social media (Facebook and YouTube) in addressing Islamophobia within the framework of Stig Hjarvard’s mediatisation concept. Mediatisation, according to Hjarvard, is the understanding of how media increasingly shape and influence various aspects of society, transforming the way individuals and institutions engage with the world. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach in order to understand Muslim converts’ lived experiences and their perspectives on the media strategies in combating Islamophobia. The participants were 20 Muslim converts living in Sabah and Sarawak city centres. Data were collected through individual interviews and analysed using the thematic analysis and interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA). The study discovered the presence of Islamophobia in Sabah and Sarawak. It is found that Muslim converts in Sabah and Sarawak perceive the media, including both Islamic mass media and social media, as influential tools in combating Islamophobia, with a focus on dispelling myths, promoting understanding and engaging in interfaith dialogue. This research expands Hjarvard’s concept of media influence in countering Islamophobia through Islamic da’wah. In conclusion, this study emphasises the media’s vital role as an alternative information source, aiding in educating about Islam and potentially decreasing or eliminating Islamophobia in Malaysia and the global setting
How do Vertical Fiscal Imbalances Impact China’s Economic Development Quality？ The Dual Effect of Local Government’s Tax Effort and Expenditure Structure Through Simultaneous Equations
No full textChina’s economy has shifted from rapid growth to high-quality development, making the improvement of economic development quality and sustainability a pressing issue for the government. The existing literature primarily focuses on the impact of vertical fiscal imbalance on the scale of economic growth, yet there is no consensus on the direct mechanisms through which it affects the quality of economic development. Moreover, there has only been limited research on the dual mediating pathways through which VFI influences economic development quality via tax effort and expenditure structure. This study uses panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2022 and applies the Three-Stage Least Squares method to analyse how vertical fiscal imbalance, local government tax effort, and expenditure structure impact the quality of economic development at the national level and in the eastern, central, and western regions.
The results indicate that increasing vertical fiscal imbalance not only directly hinders the quality of economic development but also indirectly affects it by reducing local governments’ tax efforts and improving the proportion of livelihood-related public expenditure. After standardizing the panel data, the study further quantifies the direct and indirect effects within these mechanisms. The direct effect in the tax effort model is larger than the indirect effect, while in the expenditure structure model, the direct effect is smaller than the indirect effect. Overall, the current level of vertical fiscal imbalance will help improve economic development quality in China.
Additionally, regional regressions reveal that in the eastern region, as is the case nationally, the vertical fiscal imbalance directly negatively impacts the quality of economic development, while the indirect effect is positive, resulting in a negative overall effect. In the central region, the direct effect is negative, but since vertical fiscal imbalance does not significantly impact expenditure structure, there is no indirect effect through this pathway. However, the indirect effect through tax effort is positive, again leading to a negative overall effect. In the western region, conversely, the direct effect is positive, and with no indirect effect, the overall effect is also positive. In the eastern region, where fiscal revenues are relatively abundant, governments tend to optimize resource allocation by adjusting expenditure structures. In contrast, local governments in the central and western regions face greater fiscal pressures and are more reliant on central fiscal transfers, which limits their capacity to adjust tax effort and expenditure structures.
Therefore, it is necessary to control vertical fiscal imbalance, tailor the policy on it to local conditions, and optimize political performance incentives to establish a clear fiscal relationship between central and local governments. This will help balance fiscal power across regions, enhance the quality of economic development, and achieve sustainable development for both local and national economies
Synthesis, antibacterial, antioxidant, molecular docking and ADMET properties of halogenated vanillin azo‑chalcone
No full textThe emergence of multidrug-resistant superbugs poses a signifcant global health threat, emphasising the urgent need
for innovative antimicrobial agents. Simultaneously, oxidative stress-induced cellular damage highlights the growing demand for efective antioxidants to mitigate harmful efects. Many bactericidal antibiotics exert their efects by inducing oxidative stress, which can contribute to bacterial resistance through enhanced antioxidant defences. This study
addresses these interconnected challenges by utilizing natural products such as vanillin as cost-efective and versatile precursors. Herein, a series of vanillin azo precursors (1a–h) were synthesised via a diazo coupling reaction and subsequently modifed through Claisen-Schmidt condensation, yielding chalcone-bearing derivatives (2a–h) with 52–79%. These derivatives (2a–h) (8.13—10.30 mm) exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus compared to 1a–h (7.13—8.10 mm) via the Kirby-Bauer disc difusion method. Additionally, compound 2a–h demonstrated improved antioxidant properties via DPPH assay with IC50 values spanning 13.00 to 175.00 µg/mL, particularly upon incorporating the chalcone moiety compared to 1a–h (>200.00 µg/mL). Among all synthesised compounds,
2d exhibited excellent antibacterial (9.97—10.07 mm) and antioxidant (IC50: 12.57±0.12 µg/mL, IC25: 4.17±0.24 µg/
mL) properties, comparable to standard ampicillin (10.23–12.23 mm) and ascorbic acid (IC50: 13.50±0.08 µg/mL, IC25:
5.17±0.24 µg/mL), respectively. Docking studies were performed using Autodock Tools and AutoDock Vina for compound
2d, revealing a binding afinity of −6.50 kcal/mol comparable with standard norfoxacin (−6.60 kcal/mol). These findings
highlight vanillin’s promising potential as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent, supported by good ADMET properties.
This study provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing search for effective strategies to combat antibiotic resistance and mitigate oxidative stress-related challenges
Nanoparticulate Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a Potential Antidepressant via Neuroendocrine Mechanisms in Experimental Model of Depression
Get PDFThe hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal axis (HHAA) links neurogenesis, neurotransmission, and immunoendocrine factors in depression. Stress-induced HHAA activation lowers brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus, causing atrophic changes and depressive symptoms. Traditional antidepressants increase BDNF, but BDNF cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Nanocarriers aid delivery, yet nano-BDNF’s potential remains underexplored. This study examines nano-BDNF’s antidepressant effects in mice. Thirty C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups: normal control, depression model, negative control, fluoxetine-treated, and nano-BDNF-treated. Behavioral tests, ELISA, and histological analysis assessed reserpine-induced depression. Results showed nano-BDNF and fluoxetine reversed depression effects, but nano-BDNF was superior in restoring HHAA function and immune balance. Histology confirmed nano-BDNF reversed adrenal and thymic changes linked to depression-induced immunosuppression. This study identifies nano-BDNF with poloxamer 188 as a promising antidepressant, comparable to fluoxetine in behavior recovery but superior in restoring HHAA balance
PENGGUNAAN BAHASA OLEH ETNIK MELANAU MUKAH
Get PDFKebolehan bertutur dalam multibahasa merupakan suatu kelebihan. Namun begitu, bahasa satu-satu etnik mungkin terancam kerana makin banyak penuturnya yang dapat menguasai bahasa lain yang lebih dominan. Kajian ini dilakukan untuk menyelidik penggunaan bahasa dalam kalangan etnik Melanau di Mukah, Sarawak.
Objektif kajian adalah untuk mengenal pasti penggunaan bahasa masyarakat sasaran dalam domain kekeluargaan, domain kejiranan, domain keagamaan dan domain pendidikan, serta mengkaji trend penggunaan bahasa dalam generasi tua, dewasa dan muda masyarakat sasaran. Kajian kuantitatif ini menggunakan borang soal selidik sebagai instrumen dan menggunakan analisis domain oleh Fishman (1972) untuk menganalisis data. Responden terdiri daripada 120 orang Melanau multilingual yang menetap di Mukah. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa bahasa Melanau Mukah masih pilihan utama masyarakat sasaran dalam domain kekeluargaan dan
domain kejiranan. Peningkatan tahap kerasmian dalam domain
keagamaan dan domain pendidikan menyebabkan peningkatan
penggunaan dialek Melayu Sarawak dan bahasa Melayu, seterusnya meminggirkan bahasa Melanau Mukah. Walaupun kedudukan bahasa Melanau Mukah masih kukuh dalam masyarakat Melanau Mukah, keadaan ini mungkin berubah dalam beberapa generasi akan datang berikutan penggunaan dialek Melayu Sarawak yang makin meluas dalam kalangan responden. Penggunaan bahasa Melanau Mukah di rumah harus diteruskan untuk mengelakkan bahasa Melanau Mukah menjadi bahasa terancam. Kajian pada masa akan datang perlu mengaitkan penggunaan bahasa Melanau Mukah dengan sikap penutur, selain meneliti tahap kefasihan bahasa Melanau Mukah
dalam kalangan golongan muda masyarakat Melanau Mukah
The Lived Experiences of Malaysian Young Adults Engaging in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
No full textNonsuicidal self-injury is a perilous practice that is becoming more prevalent among young people worldwide. There might be cultural variations in some aspects of self-injury in terms of the underlying factors, triggers, and functions. This calls for an exploration of the development and maintenance of self-injury in the Malaysian context. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the subjective experiences of Malaysian young adults engaging in self-injury. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as part of a qualitative phenomenological study design to give a comprehensive analysis of individuals’ lived experiences with self-injury. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 Malaysian young adults between the ages of 21 and 29 who engage in self-injury and are receiving psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment. There were two primary data collection methods: semi-structured interviews and document examination (participants’ drawings and participants’ diaries). Five superordinate themes emerged from the findings: (a) emotion dysregulation; (b) stressful life events; (c) intrapersonal function; (d) difficulty dealing with conflicts; and (e) suicidality. The lived experiences of young adults uncovered in this research have implications across the education, training, and practice of mental health
Saving lives, saving face : mitigated directives during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation
No full textThis paper investigates the occurrence and structures of mitigation of directives issued during the early minutes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation attempts, drawing on a dialogue analysis approach based on Searle’s Speech Act Theory. We transcribed the first 5 min of 40 pre-recorded, real-life resuscitation attempts. Line-by-line dialogue annotations, based on a bespoke dialogue annotation
scheme, were applied to the dialogue transcripts to extract verbal orders or directives. Results revealed that directives made up about 25 % of the dialogue in these early minutes of real-life cardiac arrest resuscitation attempts. Three quarters of all directives were mitigated to an extent, forming a continuum of mitigated strategies. Some structures of mitigation carried ambiguous meanings and were found to delay target actions. The use of mitigation strategies also added length to directives, thus consuming extra time during the resuscitation attempts. Using softeners and affective terms appeared to be the best way to counterbalance the social imperative of politeness, with the communicative pressure of optimal efficiency
Characterisation of gut microbiota in Malaysian cancer patients using V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene sequencing
No full textRecent studies suggested a potential connection between gut microbiota changes and cancer onset. However, conflicting results make it challenging to understand the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in cancer, particularly in underrepresented populations like those in Southeast Asia. To address this gap, we analysed the diversity and composition of gut microbiota in 65 faecal samples, which included 48 from cancer patients with various malignancies and 17 from healthy controls. Patients were categorised into four groups: symptomatic patients undergoing cancer treatment, asymptomatic pre-treatment and during cancer treatment, and healthy controls. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the V3-V4 region of the 16 S rRNA gene was sequenced. Our findings revealed significant differences in the alpha diversity (p ≤ 0.05) between cancer patients and controls. Asymptomatic patients under treatment showed slightly lower alpha diversity than pre-treatment patients, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.06). We identified 13 genera with over 20% difference in abundance between patient groups and controls. Asymptomatic patients receiving treatment and pre-treatment patients exhibited enrichment in Enterococcus, whereas Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, Brevundimonas, and Pseudomonas were significantly reduced compared to controls. Symptomatic patients had higher levels of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus, while Ruminococcus was enriched in asymptomatic patients. These underscore the distinct differences in gut microbiota composition between cancer patients and healthy individuals, particularly in symptomatic cases with potential biomarkers such as Enterococcus, Prevotella, and Faecalibacterium. Our study suggests that cancer treatment may not significantly alter the gut profile of cancer patients. Further research is needed to comprehend the implications of these findings fully