19672 research outputs found
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Synthesis of silicon carbide nanomaterials by microwave heating: Effect of types of carbon nanotubes
No full textOne-dimensional silicon carbide nanomaterial (SiCNM) is the leading potential material for high temperature, high power and harsh environment components and devices. This is due to the outstanding properties of the one-dimensional SiCNMs such as high mechanical properties, high hardness, good chemical inertness and excellent electronic properties. In this paper, we reported the successful synthesis of one-dimensional SiCNMs from blend of SiO2 particles with two types of CNTs, namely MWCNTs and SWCNTs by using microwave heating and the effect of types of CNTs on the synthesis of one-dimensional SiCNMs. The result of x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis revealed that high purity of β-SiC nanotube was obtained from blend of SiO2 particles and MWCNTs while solid SiC nanowire was synthesized from blend of SiO2 particles and SWCNTs and associated with the presence of residual of unreacted SiO2 particles. This clearly shows that types of one dimensional SiCNMs (hollow or solid) can be controlled by using different types of CNTs and thus this study proposed a high efficiency microwave heating method for the synthesis of one-dimensional SiCNMs with controllable morphology. © 2019 Elsevier Masson SA
Thermal properties of acylated low molecular weight chitosans
No full textSummary: Acylated low molecular weight chitosans (LChA) were prepared from nucleophilic acylation of chitosan using acid anhydrides of short and medium chain length (4 - 10) to study the response of applied heat as a function of acyl chain length. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed the decomposition of LChA consisted of glucosamine and acyl-glucosamine units around 141 - 151°C to 400 - 410°C. Both TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses indicated that the introduction of acyl groups disrupted the hydrogen bonding of chitosan, the effect was more prominent as the degree of substitution and chain length of LChA increased. Grafting of acyl chains lowered the kinematic viscosity of LChA as the disruption of hydrogen bonding led to decreased hydrodynamic volume. Field emission scanning electron micrographs showed that LChA with longer chains having larger particle size due to bigger occupancy volume of acyl chains during spray drying. © 2019 Chemical Society of Pakistan. All rights reserved
Effect of Blastocystis sp. in dengue patients—Increase in the treatment cost and exacerbation of symptoms
No full textIncreasing incidences of dengue have become a global health threat with major clinical manifestation including high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. These symptoms were also expressed among Blastocystis sp. infected individuals, a parasite commonly seen in human stools. This parasite has been previously reported to replicate faster upon exposure to high temperature. The present study is a hospitalized-based cross-sectional study involved the collection of faecal sample from dengue patients. Stool examination was done by in vitro cultivation to isolate Blastocystis sp. Growth pattern of all the positive isolates were analyzed to identify the multiplication rate of Blastocystis sp. isolated from dengue patients. Distribution of Blastocystis sp. among dengue patients was 23.6%. Dengue patients who were positive for Blastocystis sp. infection denoted a significantly higher fever rate reaching 38.73C (p<0.05) compared to the non-Blastocystis sp. infected patients (38.44C). It was also found that Blastocystis sp. infected patients complained of frequenting the toilet more than five times a day (p<0.05) compared to those who were non-Blastocystis sp. infected. At the same time, the duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (p<0.05) for Blastocystis sp. infected dengue patients compared to the non-Blastocystis sp. infected patients. Besides, Blastocystis sp. isolated from dengue patients (in vivo thermal stress) showed a higher growth rate compared to the non-dengue isolated which was exposed to high temperature (in vitro thermal stress). Our findings suggest that presence of Blastocystis sp. during dengue infection could trigger the increase of temperature which could be due to highly elevated pro inflammatory cytokines by both parasitic and virus infection. This could justify why the temperature in Blastocystis sp. infected dengue patients is higher compared to the non-Blastocystis sp. infected patients. Higher temperature could have triggered a greater parasite multiplication rate that contributed to the aggravation of the gastrointestinal symptoms. © 2019 Thergarajan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Income inequality across states in Malaysia
No full textThis paper examines income differentials across the 16 states/territories in Malaysia, using quantile regression of income per capita on a nationally representative sample of 24,463 households in 2014. The results show that the vast differentials in income per capita across states are attenuated after taking into account urban-rural and ethnic distribution, but remain significant. Income differentials across states vary at different levels of income, being more pronounced at the lower ends of the distributions. States and territory in the central region had the highest income. The three states in the southern regions fared better than those in the northern region (except Penang), and the eastern region as well as East Malaysia. Other variables such as level of urbanisation, the educational level, migration, employment structure, and female labour force participation may also affect income differentials across states. © 2019 by MIP
First Cretaceous fish fauna from Malaysia
No full textCretaceous fish fossils are reported from Malaysia for the first time. They were found with dinosaur and turtle remains in nonmarine sediments in the interior of Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia. This fish assemblage consists mostly of isolated teeth, with minor amounts of noncranial remains, including vertebral centra, scales, coprolites, and hybodont fin spines. Over 100 fish teeth were examined. Nine taxa were confirmed from this fish assemblage: six (identified and unidentified) species of hybodont sharks, Heteroptychodus kokutensis, Isanodus paladeji, Lonchidion aff. khoratensis, Mukdahanodus aff. trisivakulii, Egertonodus sp., and Hybodontidae indet., and three species of actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes): ‘Lepidotes’ sp., Halecomorphi indet., and Ginglymodi indet. This fish assemblage has strong affinities with Early Cretaceous (Barremian–early Aptian) faunas of Thailand, because the four hybodont species, H. kokutensis, I. paladeji, L. khoratensis, and M. trisivakulii, were previously known only from the Sao Khua Formation (Khorat Group) and equivalent strata of Ko Kut (Kut Island). Egertonodus has been confirmed in Asia for the first time. Overall, this fish assemblage shows a close linkage to Early Cretaceous (Barremian–early Aptian) faunas of Thailand. Based on faunal composition and biostratigraphic correlation, we suggest a Barremian–early Aptian age for this new fauna from Malaysia. © 2019, © by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Low Switching Frequency Based Asymmetrical Multilevel Inverter Topology With Reduced Switch Count
No full textThe inceptions of multilevel inverters (MLI) have caught the attention of researchers for medium and high power applications. However, there has always been a need for a topology with a lower number of device count for higher efficiency and reliability. A new single-phase MLI topology has been proposed in this paper to reduce the number of switches in the circuit and obtain higher voltage level at the output. The basic unit of the proposed topology produces 13 levels at the output with three dc voltage sources and eight switches. Three extentions of the basic unit have been proposed in this paper. A detailed analysis of the proposed topology has been carried out to show the superiority of the proposed converter with respect to the other existing MLI topologies. Power loss analysis has been done using PLECS software, resulting in a maximum efficiency of 98.5%. Nearest level control (NLC) pulse-width modulation technique has been used to produce gate pulses for the switches to achieve better output voltage waveform. The various simulation results have been performed in the PLECS software and a laboratory setup has been used to show the feasibility of the proposed MLI topology. © 2013 IEEE
Concept of al-amanah (trustworthiness) and al-mas'uliyyah (responsibility) for human's character from ethical Islamic perspective
No full textAl-Amanah (trusts) and al-mas'uliyyah (responsibilities) refer to the ethical character of the human character that must be practiced in daily life, especially by every Muslim. Both of these noble qualities will help someone avoid something that can cause him to be regarded as a badly-touted individual. This article will discuss the concept of al-Amanah (trustworthiness) and al-mas'uliyyah (responsibility) according to the ethical Islamic perspective. This article analyzes the thoughts of several Islamic scholars such as al-Ghazali (505H) and several exegetes (mufassirin) in understanding the two terms through their works. Finally, this study concludes that the concept of al-amanah (trust) and al-mas'uliyyah (responsibility) is capable of creating the quality of human character among Muslim individuals according to the ethical Islamic perspective. © 2019, Allied Business Academies
The concept of integrity for Muslim's character based on Al-Ghazali's ethical perspective
No full textIntegrity is one of the moral qualities of human that needs to be translated into everyday life particularly by Muslim individuals. It also refers to ethic, a principle that is followed daily. A person's character consists of the combination of qualities that make up his personality, and it is this attribute that motivates a person to avoid something that could cause him to be considered an individual without integrity. The characteristics of a person without integrity include deception, treachery, deviance, corruption, money politics and the likes. These characteristics could be avoided if one adorns oneself with elements of integrity such al-Sidq (truthfulness). Al-Sidq is elaborated based on the thought of al-Ghazali in his Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din. This article concludes that al-Sidq refers to six definitions which include the word, intent and will, determination and its fulfillment, balance and preference between spiritual and physical practices, and religious maqam (status). It establishes the quality of integrity within Muslim individuals. © 2019, Allied Business Academies
New Media Literacy And Media Use Among University Students In Malaysia
No full textFalse information is a concern in this digital era where communication technologies, particularly social media, enable the public to consume, create, and share media content. New media literacy associated with critical thinking is of importance in keeping away from the negative influences of the widespread misleading news and information. Due to the limited studies on new media literacy in Malaysia, this study aimed to identify the levels of new media literacy among university students in Malaysia, measure the difference in new media literacy across demographic factors, and examine the relationship between media use and new media literacy. The quantitative data were collected through survey questionnaire at a private university in Malaysia. The findings showed that most of the students are at the medium level of new media literacy. No significant difference was found in new media literacy based on demographic factors, except media use which also had a small positive correlation with two dimensions of new media literacy, namely functional prosumption and critical prosumption. The findings served as a valuable input for public or private institutions or organizations that are responsible or keen in tackling fake news. © 2019, Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication. All rights reserved
A new classification and an extension of waste from business practices and islamic perspective
No full textTaking the idea of waste as an in-use phenomenon, we developed a matrix to explain four categories of waste which result from users’ failure to use a resource properly. These categories were illustrated by examples built on practical food waste measurements, surveys, theses formatting requirements and newspaper reports. We have categorized different facets of waste from a business perspective; thus, contributed to have improved waste management practices. We also showed that parsimony was also a wasteful behaviour. Parsimony was shown to be a waste by its effects on others’ need of fulfilment and other-worldly consequences for the miser. Copyright © IIUM Pres