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Thermal and mechanical properties of injection moulded heat-treated oil palm empty fruit bunch fibre-reinforced high-density polyethylene composites
No full textOil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) was heat treated at 180°C using a vacuum oven for one hour, extruded and compounded with high-density polyethylene at 10%, 20% and 30% weight fraction. The composites then were injection moulded into dumb-bell shaped specimens. The effect of composition and heat treatment on the thermal properties of composites were investigated using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The tensile and flexural properties were also tested using an Instron Universal Testing Machine. TGA shows an increase in the degradation peak temperature of the heat-treated composites. DSC revealed an increasing trend in the degree of crystallinity (Xc) of the matrix as the heat-treated empty fruit bunch was used as a filler. An increment in the tensile modulus and tensile strain were observed for the treated fibre composites. In addition, the tensile strength value was increased for treated fibre composites with lower fibre loading. © 2019, © 2019 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Institute
Kesopanan dalam Komunikasi Menerusi Filem Animasi Kanak-Kanak Tempatan (Politeness in Communication Through Local Children’s Animated Film)
No full textPoliteness is a physical and psychological reflection of the culture of a person's life and morals. It is clearly expressed through communication between people, or via media, which covers both printed and electronic media. Animated movies can be considered as one of the most popular forms of entertainment in electronic media, especially for children. Electronic media has great impact in the lives of young children. Children tend to imitate something they see and hear. Thus, in pursuit of a borderless world, the aspect of politeness in communication is an aspect that should not be neglected as portrayal of positive vibes are shown through modesty. This research focuses on local animated film, Bola Kampung The Movie (2013), which was the first Malay language animation film in 3D stereoscopic in Malaysia. The concept of politeness in communication is explored in language events based on the approach of Asmah Haji Omar (2000) which is related to speech ethnography by Dell Hymes (1974). This research using the children’s animated film as a corpus. The data is transcribed into written form, sorted and parsed based on the abovementioned approach. The findings of this research shows that there are fundamental politeness and the constraints politeness are based on context. Some aspects of politeness in communication are emphasised based on storylines and the story background. This aspect of communication is therefore very essential in children’s animated films since media influence has it role in shaping the life of the current as well as the next generations. © 2019, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Press. All rights reserved
Logistic regression scoring index for detection of interstitial lung disease
No full textThe decision for a lung transplant requires the knowledge of the severity of interstitial lung disease (ILD). A manual scoring sheet was developed for discriminating ILD cases from non-ILD cases based on eleven indicators selected by the radiologist. The manual scoring sheet requires the radiologists to score the severity of general ILD from visual inspection on the changes of lung tissue using the high resolution computed tomography images. This paper investigates the use of logistic regression in developing a scoring index, ϕ (x), to investigate the presence of ILD. The result shows that the scoring index, ϕ (x), is robust and has discriminatory potentials. The threshold (c, d) having values (0.7, 0.24) allowed correct classifications of 80% of ILD cases and 61% of non-ILD cases in a total sample of 134 cases. This study suggests that ϕ (x) may be used as a simple and practical scoring index in initial investigations for ILD detection. © 2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN)
A 0.8 mm2 Sub-GHz GaAs HBT Power Amplifier for 5G Application Achieving 57.5% PAE and 28.5 dBm Maximum Linear Output Power
No full textThis paper presents a comprehensive design of a fully integrated multistage GaAs HBT power amplifier that achieves both linearity and high efficiency within a chip area of 0.855 mm2 for 4G and 5G applications covering the lower frequency band of 700-800 MHz. A novel linearizer circuit is integrated to a dual stage class-AB PA to minimize the AM-PM (Amplitude Modulation-Phase Modulation) distortion generated by the parasitic capacitance at the PN-junction under low bias current condition. The linearized power amplifier is able to operate within a 100 MHz linear operating bandwidth (700-800 MHz) while meeting the adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) specification for 4G and 5G application. The fully integrated PA achieves a wideband efficiency of 57.5% at 28.5 dBm output power. Observing a respective input and output return losses of less than 13 dB and 10 dB, the PA delivers a power gain within the range of 34.0-37.0 dB across the operating bandwidth while exhibiting an unconditional stability characteristic from DC up to 5 GHz. The proposed linearization method paves the way of reducing the complexity of linear and high efficiency PA design which is associated with complicated and high-power consumption linearization schemes. © 2013 IEEE
Predominance of ST22-MRSA-IV clone and emergence of clones for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates collected from a tertiary teaching hospital over a two-year period
No full textMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens, causing mild to severe infections. This study aimed to determine the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of clinical MRSA isolates collected from a teaching hospital from 2014 - 2015. These isolates were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal cassette chromosomal mec (SCCmec) typing, virulence genes detection and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and phenotyped based on their vancomycin susceptibility profiles. The most prevalent sequence type was ST22. ST3547 was identified from a blood isolate from 2015. Three SCCmec types (III in 26.26%, IV in 70.71% and V in 3.03%) were detected. Agr type I, II, III were detected among the isolates. The most prevalent virulence genes were hemolysin (100%) and intracellular adhesion (91.9%). At least one staphylococcal enterotoxins was detected in 83 (83.8%) of the isolates. All of the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (MIC ≤ 2 µg/ml). Statistical analysis revealed significant increase in hypertension (p = 0.035), dyslipidemia and obesity (p = 0.046), and previous exposure to any quinolone (p = 0.010) cases over the two-year period. Emergence and circulation of community-associated MRSA variants were observed in our hospital. © 2019, National Institute of Health. All rights reserved
Enrolling girls without learning: Evidence from public schools in Afghanistan
No full textWhile more girls are now attending school in Afghanistan than prior to 2010, there is a lack of evidence on how school attendance is helping their cognitive development. We use data from a large sample of all-girls state-funded school students to estimate for the first time the “learning profile” for Afghanistan. Students enrolled in grades 4 to 9 were assessed using the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) test items. We find that higher grade progression (particularly in grades 6–9) leads to almost no gain in numeracy (addition and subtraction) skills that should have been achieved in early grades. Similar results follow from the analysis of student performance in the EGRA test, particularly in oral reading fluency (correct words read per minute) and oral reading comprehension (number of correct answers out of 12). These findings warn that simply enrolling girls in school without improving the relationship between grade completion and learning is unlikely to transform the lives of women in Afghanistan. © The Authors 2017. Development Policy Review © 2017 Overseas Development Institut
Translanguaging Practices and Identity Construction of Multilingual Malaysian University Graduates in Digital Media (多語馬來西亞大學畢業生於數位媒體中的跨語際實踐與身份建構)
No full textTranslanguaging has received increasing attention from linguists and scholars. Although there have been studies investigating translanguaging practices in the classroom settings, there is a lack of studies that involve multilinguals and their multiliteracy skills in digital media. In view of the popularity of digital media, such as social media, as a means of social interactions among young people in multilingual and multicultural societies, this study aims to investigate the translanguaging practices of Malaysian university graduates in digital media. The research focus is on the digital postings of a group of university graduates in social media and emails, with an aim to investigate how they utilize their linguistic repertoires such as language choice in different online dialogic exchanges. The research also aims to explore how these young adults construct their identity through their translanguaging practices within the digital media. The findings of the study show that there are four factors affecting translanguaging practices and two factors influencing identity construction through translanguaging. Among others, the findings suggest that multilingual employees perhaps should be allowed to practice translanguaging at the workplace, as it helps to facilitate specific work-related processes. Simultaneously, translanguaging practices also enable the multilinguals to maintain their sense of identity through their linguistic expressions. © 2019, National Taiwan Normal University
Potential use of pure and diluted choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvent in delignification of oil palm fronds
No full textThe existence of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has improved the process of biomass transformation and valorization due to its ability to break down the recalcitrant structure of biomass via delignification. However, the high viscosity of DES is one of the factors that restraints its effectiveness in delignification of biomass. The addition of water was expected to reduce the viscosity of DES and improve the process consequently. This study investigated the effects of water content in the DES (choline chloride:urea in 1:2 M ratio) on delignification of oil palm fronds (OPF), which are underutilized but available abundantly in Malaysia. The pretreatment was carried out at 120 °C for 4 h using DES at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 (w/v). In terms of lignin removal, 30 vol% of distilled water in DES was determined to achieve the optimal result at 16.31% in delignification of OPF. Delignification of OPF was further confirmed via a series of characterization tests. In comparison with pure DES, the aqueous DES enabled more favorable improvement of lignin removal in a biomass pretreatment. © 201
Paediatric oropharyngeal tularaemia requiring surgical intervention
No full textTularaemia is a rare infectious disease endemic in most European countries caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. 1 Patients often show acute non-specific symptoms, which causes a delay in diagnosis and proper treatment, potentially resulting in significant morbidities such as deep neck abscess, meningitis, endocarditis and septic shock. The authors present a case of a 5-year old boy with a 4-day history of fever, sore throat and painful cervical lymphadenopathy, whose clinical progression worsened despite being treated with recommended antibiotics as per WHO guidelines once the diagnosis of Tularaemia was confirmed by serologic tests. He developed a parapharyngeal abscess and a persistent left necrotic cervical lymph node, which both were surgically drained and excised, respectively, and an extended course of antibiotic was given. Subsequently, the patient fully recovered from the illness and the follow-up was negative for relapse. © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ
Prevalence, Extent and Severity of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics among Malaysian Adolescents
Get PDFThis study aimed to assess the prevalence, extent and severity of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics (PIDA) among Malaysian adolescents especially those with self-perceived malocclusion, and to determine if age and gender affected their PIDA. A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 12-17 year old schoolchildren from schools across Malaysia selected via a multi-stage sampling method. The questionnaire included the Malaysian Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics (Malaysian PIDA) questionnaire and the Aesthetic Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN-AC). The Malaysian PIDA measured four domains: (Dental Self Confidence, 6 items; Social Impact, 8 items; Psychological Impact, 6 items; and Aesthetic Concern, 2 items) to assess impacts on the oral health-related quality of life specific to malocclusion. While the IOTN-AC comprised a 10-point photographic scale to assess self-perceived malocclusion. Data analysis using SPSS version 20 was involved using complete data on 901 participants. The prevalence of Pion was 90.0% while prevalence associated with self-perceived malocclusion was 96.0%. Impact of dental aesthetics was highest on the psychological wellbeing of the adolescents, followed by their self-confidence. In terms of the extent of impact, 14.0% reported significant impact on all four domains and 192% were associated with self-perceived malocclusion. The prevalence of impacts was higher in younger adolescents and females. In terms of the extent and severity of impacts, younger adolescents reported higher impacts but with small effect sizes, while differences between boys and girls were not significant