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Russian language needs among university students in Malaysia
No full textIn the context of higher education foreign language courses are viewed as skills-oriented subjects that aim to enable students to communicate in a foreign language. The main four language skills to be developed are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Until recently, decisions about which of the linguistic skills should be emphasized in a foreign language program have been taken without seeking the opinions of language learners. To address this issue, the present research examined needs for learning the Russian language among students in a Malaysian public university. To achieve this research aim, a survey questionnaire was distributed among prospective learners of Russian. Four different statistical methods were performed to analyse the data, namely, the descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, the exploratory factor analysis and the reliability test. The findings from the descriptive statistics revealed that the respondents considered developing face-to-face interactive skills, such as the speaking and listening skills, as most important. The findings of the t-test suggested that demographic variables might have some influence on the students' perceptions of the skills' importance. For example, the students who spoke Malay at home placed a higher value on developing their ability to speak in a polite manner and to understand non-verbal communitive acts, such as gestures. The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that the language skills as perceived by the students formed several dimensions where interactive and non-interactive skills tended to form distinct clusters. This research concludes with a discussion of pedagogical implications to be drawn from the findings
Selective isolation and characterisation of novel members of the family Nocardiopsaceae and other actinobacteria from a marine sediment of Tioman Island
No full textTioman Island is one of many sources for underexplored actinobacterial diversity in Malaysia. Selective isolation, molecular profiling, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses were carried out to highlight the diversity of the marine actinobacterial community in a sediment collected off Tioman Island. A high number of diverse actinobacteria were recovered using skim milk/HEPES pre-treatment on a mannitol-based medium. A total of 123 actinobacterial strains were isolated, including thirty obligate marine actinobacteria putatively identified as Salinispora spp. Molecular fingerprinting profiles obtained with a double digestion approach grouped the remaining non-Salinispora-like strains into 24 different clusters, with Streptomyces and Blastococcus as the major clusters. A total of 17 strains were identified as novel actinobacterial species within the genera Streptomyces (n = 6), Blastococcus (n = 5), Marinactinospora (n = 3), Nocardiopsis (n = 1), Agromyces (n = 1) and Nonomuraea (n = 1) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. Polyphasic data from three putative Marinactinospora spp. showed that the strains represent a new genus in the Nocardiopsaceae family. Crude extracts from the strains were also found to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Providencia alcalifaciens) pathogens. Hierarchical clustering of the bioactivities of an active fraction revealed a unique profile, which is closely related that of fosfomycin
Algal biophotovoltaic (BPV) device for generation of bioelectricity using Synechococcus elongatus (Cyanophyta)
No full textThe exploitation of renewable energy sources for delivering carbon neutral or carbon negative solutions has become challenging in the current era because conventional fuel sources are of finite origins. Algae are being used in the development of biophotovoltaic (BPV) platforms which are used to harvest solar energy for bioelectricity generation. Fast-growing algae have a high potential for converting CO 2 from the atmosphere into biomass and valuable products. In photosynthesis light-driven splitting of water occurs, releasing a pair of electrons and generating O 2 . The electrons can be harvested and converted to bioelectricity. In this study, algal biofilms of a tropical cyanobacterial strain Synechococcus elongatus (UMACC 105) were formed on two types of electrodes, indium tin oxide (ITO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and investigated for use in the algal biophotovoltaic (BPV) device. The highest maximum power density was registered in the rGO-based BPV device (0.538 ± 0.014 mW m −2 ). This illustrates the potential of this local algal strain for use in BPV devices to generate bioelectricity in both the light and dark conditions
Distal Femoral Rotation Correlates With Proximal Tibial Joint Line Obliquity: A Consideration for Kinematic Total Knee Arthroplasty
No full textBackground: We hypothesized that there is a correlation between the distal femoral rotation and proximal tibial joint line obliquity in nonarthritic knees. This has significance for kinematic knee arthroplasty, in which the target knee alignment desired approximates the knee before disease. Methods: Fifty computed tomography scans of nonarthritic knees were evaluated using three-dimensional image processing software. Four distal femoral rotational axes were determined in the axial plane: the transepicondylar axis (TEA), transcondylar axis (TCA), posterior condylar axis (PCA), and a line perpendicular to Whiteside's anterior-posterior axis. Then, angles were measured relative to the TEA. Tibial joint line obliquity was measured as the angle between the proximal tibial plane and a line perpendicular to the axis of the tibia. Results: There was a strong positive correlation between PCA-TEA and tibial joint line obliquity (r = 0.68, P <.001) as well as TCA-TEA and tibial joint line obliquity (r = 0.69, P <.001). In addition, the tibial joint line obliquity and TCA-TEA angles were similar, 3.7° ± 2.2° (mean ± standard deviation) and 3.5° ± 1.7° respectively (mean difference, 0.2° ± 0.2°; P =.369). Conclusion: Both PCA-TEA and TCA-TEA strongly correlated with proximal tibial joint line obliquity indicating a relationship between distal femoral rotational geometry and proximal tibial inclination. These findings could imply that the native knee in flexion attempts to balance the collateral ligaments toward a rectangular flexion space. A higher tibial varus inclination is matched with a more internally rotated distal femur relative to the TEA
Phyto-evaluation of Cd-Pb Using Tropical Plants in Soil-Leachate Conditions
No full textSources of soil contamination can exist in various types of conditions including in the form of semifluids. In this study, 3 different types of tropical plants, Acacia (Acacia mangium Willd), Mucuna (Mucuna bracteata DC. ex Kurz) and Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash), were tested under different levels of soil-leachate conditions. The relative growth rate, metal tolerance, and phytoassessment of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) accumulation in the roots and shoots were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Tolerance index, translocation factor, metal accumulation ratio, and percentage metal efficacy were applied to assess the metal translocation ability among all the 3 types of plants. Significantly higher (P Acacia > Mucuna. The findings of the study suggest that Vetiver has great potential as Cd and Pb phytoremediator in soil-leachate conditions
High volume cement replacement by environmental friendly industrial by-product palm oil clinker powder in cement – lime masonry mortar
No full textCement-lime based mortar is extremely popular for a wide range of construction around the world and conserving natural resources used in the production of such material is of capital importance. Identification of alternative materials from palm oil based industrial by-products enabled researchers to use palm oil clinker powder (POCP) as a cement replacement material; in this research work, POCP was used as cement replacement material in masonry mortar. The physical, chemical properties and SEM of POCP were analyzed to investigate the feasibility of utilizing POCP as cement replacement for up to 80%. Based on the feasibility study, final mortar mixes were prepared utilizing 40% of POCP. Further investigations were carried on fresh, mechanical and bond properties of mortar. The hardened properties for mechanical performance and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) investigated in water and air cured regimes show that up to 40% of cement could be replaced to obtain the requisite compressive strength of 12.4 MPa for cement-lime mortar. Further, POCP ground to more number of cycles had minor impact on the mechanical properties. The investigation on the potential use of POCP as cement replacement confirmed the potentiality through energy saving, cost effective and cleaner environment
Ester of thiolated butylated hydroxytoluene: Potential antioxidant for synthetic lubricant oil
No full textEsters of thiolated Butylated hydroxytoluene (AO1 and AO2), bearing two antioxidant moieties (BHT and thioether), are synthesized and reported first time as competitive antioxidants for synthetic ester-based lubricant oil (trimethylolpropane trioleate, TMPTO). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Rotary Bomb Oxidation Test (RBOT) are utilized for the evaluation of Oxidation stability. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) is performed for the thermal stability assessment. The synthesized esters have shown very promising results in all experiments such as 3 wt.% AO1 blended TMPTO has shown 15.3 and 4.4 times better oxidation stability in comparison with BHT and Irganox 1076 respectively in DSC. Again, isothermal TGA has shown that 1.5 wt.% AO1 blended TMPTO is 1.5 times better than BHT at reducing weight loss of TMPTO occurred by the oxidation process. Apparently, these compounds have given high oxidation stability to synthetic ester-based lube oil (TMPTO) by protecting from premature oxidative degradation
Mode-Locked Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser Using Vanadium Oxide as Saturable Absorber
No full textA mode-locked erbium doped fiber laser (EDFL) is demonstrated using the vanadium oxide (V 2 O 5 ) material as a saturable absorber (SA). The V 2 O 5 based SA is hosted into poly ethylene oxide film and attached on fiber ferule in the laser cavity. It shows 7% modulation depth with 71MW/cm2 saturation intensity. By incorporating the SA inside the EDFL cavity with managed intra-cavity dispersion, ultrashort soliton pulses are successfully generated with a full width at half maximum of 3.14 ps. The laser operated at central wavelength of 1559.25nm and repetition frequency of 1 MHz
Synthesis of surfactant-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for adsorptive removal of acid blue 45 dye
No full textCobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 ) nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized by wet chemical coprecipitation method using metal chlorides as precursors and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a precipitant. The tergitol-1x (T-1x) and didecyldimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) are used as capping agents and their effect is investigated on particle size, size distribution and morphology of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CFNPs). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the synthesis of CFNPs and formation of metal-oxygen (M-O) bond. The spinel phase structure, morphology, polydispersity and magnetic properties of ferrite nanoparticles are investigated by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and vibrating sample magnetometry analyses, respectively. The addition of capping agents effects the secondary growth of CFNPs and reduces their particle size, as is investigated by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy. The results evidence that the DDAB is more promising surfactant to control the particle size (∼13 nm), polydispersity and aggregation of CFNPs. The synthesized CFNPs, CFNPs/T-1x and CFNPs/DDAB are used to study their adsorption potential for removal of acid blue 45 dye, and a maximum adsorptive removal of 92.25% is recorded by 0.1 g of CFNPs/DDAB at pH 2.5 and temperature 20 ± 1 °C. The results show that the dye is physically adsorbed by magnetic NPs and follows the Langmuir isotherm model
Social media as a complementary learning tool for teaching and learning: The case of youtube
No full textTaking into account the importance of using video and visual objects for teaching, some universities utilize YouTube as a complementary teaching tool. This work analyses students’ perspectives on the usage of YouTube for learning, their corresponding usage patterns, and associated factors prompting them to use YouTube. We interviewed 30 students, and went on to develop a scale for academic learning as a determinant of YouTube usage, which was then validated amongst the students. Data were collected from a total of 321 students in the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya to test the developed construct. The results confirmed that entertainment, seeking information, and academic learning are some of the main motivations for using YouTube. We regard YouTube as an effective tool that can enhance the learning experience if the video is indeed relevant to the subject at hand. It is recommended that instructors integrate YouTube into their respective courses to benefit from its inherent advantages in the context of learning/teaching