17362 research outputs found
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Feasibility of preparing functionalize Y2O3 ceramic membrane with fluorinated polymers via UV photopolymerization for vapor transport application
No full textFunctionalization through hydrophobic group incorporation has been widely acknowledged for preparation of advanced ceramic membrane. However, current popular method such as silane grafting was still complicated, produced unstable coating and high possibility of leaching into the environment. Hence, this work presented an alternative functionalization via UV photopolymerization where the process is facile and employed readily available fluorinated polymers; polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and UV curable resin (UCR). Tuning the oxygen vacancy defect by inserting F- ion into O2− ion position in the metal oxide structure improved the membrane overall properties by forming a uniform, smooth, thin layer and well-coated active layer as shown by sample Y-1450-U-LOW. In comparison to silane grafting, the polymer coating layer in this study is chemically bonded to the metal oxide structure where it forms a strong and stabilized composite layer membrane consisting of Y-F bond at the interface. The success of this functionalization is further proven by the high membrane distillation performance as the NaCl rejection increased from 30.70 % to 99.99 % with permeate flux value of 5.66 L/m2.h. Adjustment in the feed NaCl temperature from 25 °C to 60 °C created more pathway for vapor transport, allowing the best membrane (Y-1450-U-LOW) to reach highest permeate flux value (29.40 L/m2∙h) so far in the literature. The stabilized active layer consists of the Y-F bond further sustaining the NaCl rejection at 99 %
Waste to wellness: Exploring the prebiotic potential of fruits and vegetable by-products for probiotic-enriched functional foods, Lactobacillus pentosus A6
No full textPrebiotics are indigestible dietary fibers that enhance the host's health by encouraging the growth and activity of particular bacteria in the colon. Incorporating agricultural by-products as prebiotics into human diets is an effective way to contribute to both environmental conservation and personal well-being. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the growth of probiotic lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus pentosus A6 with the presence of various types and concentrations of freeze-dried fruits (watermelon rind, melon rind, mango peel, jackfruit peel and sweet potato peel) and vegetables (cabbage, garlic chives, bitter bean peel, pumpkin peel, and seaweed) by-products at concentration of 1.0 - 2.5% (w/v), respectively. The results obtained in this study revealed that the growth of L. pentosus A6 was improved with the addition of prebiotics into the culture media. Moreover, all treatments supplemented with vegetable-by products exhibited higher viable count as compared to fruit-by products. The preference of L. pentosus A6 towards vegetables-by products was pumpkin peel, bitter bean peel, garlic chives, cabbage, and seaweed. The highest viable cells among the vegetables and fruit by-products were recorded at 2.0% (w/v) of pumpkin peel (9.47 x 1011 CFU/mL) with final pH value of 5.07 (concentration of lactic acid: 0.17) and 1.5% (w/v) of watermelon rinds (4.20 x 1010 CFU/mL) final pH 5.06 (concentration of lactic acid: 0.06), respectively. The symbiotic relationship between prebiotics and probiotics underlines the importance of selecting appropriate prebiotic sources to support the growth, the production of bioactive compounds, and the overall effectiveness of probiotic bacteria
Assessment of total phenolic content, antioxidative property and hepatoprotective potential of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia L
No full textMomordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) has a longstanding history in traditional medicine for its potential protective effects against various ailments including oxidative stress. This study explores the hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous extract of M. charantia (AEMC) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in rats. Total phenolic content (TPC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were measured as part of the evaluation. The four groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned as follows: normal group, control or CCl4-treated group (1.0 mg/kg b.wt.), and AEMC-pretreated groups (doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg b.wt.). After a 14-day duration, all rats were humanely euthanized, and the hepatoprotective potential of AEMC was assessed through biochemical analyses and histopathological examinations of liver tissue. The results revealed that the low TPC (46.64 ± 1.59 mg GAE/g db) and the weak DPPH activity (IC50 = 975.00 µg/mL) of AEMC played a significant role in its robust antioxidant activities. Moreover, AEMC demonstrated significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, leading to changes in enzyme levels (3–15% recovery), indicating an increase in reduced glutathione levels (17–36% recovery), a decrease in malondialdehyde levels (30–49% recovery), and an enhancement in the levels of catalase (19–31% recovery), glutathione peroxidase (15–26% recovery), glutathione reductase (11–18% recovery), glutathione S-transferase (24–34% recovery), and quinone reductase (3–16% recovery). Histopathological examinations of liver tissue also revealed that AEMC led to reduced lipid alterations, hepatocyte derangement, and inflammatory cell infiltration in rats treated with CCl4. AEMC demonstrates potent antioxidant properties and provides substantial protection against the hepatic damage caused by CCl4 in rats
Does physical activity, eating habit and psychological stress affect body mass index? A cross-sectional study among university students in Malaysia
No full textBeing overweight or underweight can take its toll on health. The trends in body mass index (BMI), especially higher BMI, has become a significant concern, not only in Malaysia but worldwide. This study seeks to investigate how far do physical activity, eating habit and psychological factors affect the BMI among university students in Malaysia. Materials and methods: A data of university students aged 18 years old and above were collected throughout Malaysia (n=1821) using a self-administered, dual-language survey questionnaire. BMI (kg/m2) was a dependent variable in multiple linear regression models with sociodemographic, academic, psychosocial, eating habits and physical activity characteristics as its independent variables. Results: The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among the university students were 15.9%, 17.5% and 7.9%, respectively. There was a significant relationship found between BMI and gender, age, ethnicity, residency, parents with tertiary education, level of education, academic year, the field of study, current living arrangements, depression, anxiety, water intake, vegetable intake, snacking frequency, and recreation factors. This study confirmed the association be- tween physical activity, eating habit and psychological stress with BMI. Implementing appropriate interventions on the importance of healthy BMI is crucial to create awareness among the students in order to lead them towards a healthy lifestyle
The 3rd International conference on humanities (PAPK2025)
No full textThe editorial committee of PAPK2025 are glad to present this volume of research proceedings with the title of Empowerment of Human Values: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Humanities (PAPK2025). This is the third conference after the previous ones that have been held on 2017 and 2019. On behalf of PAPK2025, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the authors for their contribution to this book of proceedings. These contributions reflect the various topics of research from the fields of language studies, linguistics and professional societies that were presented during the conference held on the 1st of July 2025. There are 64 articles, 46 Malay articles and 18 English. These articles cover different sub-themes of the conference, such as i) Language, Linguistics and Communication; ii) Education and Learning; iii) Education and Digital Innovation; iv) Arts, Culture and Heritage; v) Social, Community and Gender; vi) Religion, Dakwah & Fiqh; vii) Politics and Governance; viii) Environment and Ecosystem; and ix) Technology and Digitalisation
Influence of MWCNTS and sno2 additions on the tribological and bioactivity behavior of porous it-based shape memory alloys
No full textThis study investigates the impact of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and tin dioxide nanoparticles (SnO2) additions on porous Ti43.93-Ni56.07 shape memory alloys (SMAs) tribological behavior. Porous Ti-Ni SMAs are increasingly favored for biomedical applications due to their low modulus and improved osseointegration capabilities. Adding MWCNTs and SnO2 is explored to enhance these alloys’ wear resistance and antibacterial properties. The experimental setup involves varying the weight percentages of MWCNTs (x = 0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) wt.pct and SnO2 (y = 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5) wt.pct in the Ti43.93-Ni56.07-x-y matrix. The samples were subjected to tribological testing under different loads of (0.5 and 1) kg and (10 and 20) hertz speeds, and the corresponding wear loss, wear diameter, and wear depth were measured. Statistical analyses, including one-factor ANOVA, two-way ANOM, and regression tests, were performed to determine the significance of the results. The findings reveal that the combination of 0.5 wt.pct MWCNTs and 0.5 wt.pct SnO2 significantly reduces wear loss and wear diameter, highlighting the synergistic effect of these additives. Additionally, biocompatibility tests demonstrated improved antibacterial properties with increased MWCNTs and SnO2 concentrations, especially at 1 wt.pct each. These results suggest that optimizing the concentrations of MWCNTs and SnO2 in Ti-Ni SMAs can significantly enhance their tribological and antibacterial performance, making them suitable for biomedical applications
Project-based learning as a mode of environmental education towards sustainable development
No full textUniversiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Technologi Malaysia and Akita International University have been offering a project-based learning (PBL) course, focusing on the green economy in Sabah, Malaysia. The course objectives include intercultural academic exchange, and multidisciplinary understanding and problem-solving of the real-world green economy issues on the actual sites around Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range Park. Students work in groups with members from three universities. Students evaluate the course’s academic, intercultural and interpersonal experiences highly. We discuss challenges in offering this course in terms of the balance between duration and costs, amount of guidance and students’ discretion, academic and personal experiences, and issues related to risks. We end with a discussion on the value of the PBL for biodiversity conservation in Sabah and potential future improvements
The role of ICT in addressing school bullying and youth violence
No full textThis study investigates the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in addressing school bullying and youth violence by integrating quantitative and qualitative data obtained from online sources, including AI-assisted data collection methods. Leveraging automated web scraping, sentiment analysis, and machine learning–based content classification, researchers gather large-scale datasets from social media platforms, online forums, and digital reporting systems. A Mixed-Methods Secondary Data Analysis approach is employed to synthesize statistical trends with narrative insights, enabling a comprehensive understanding of ICT-enabled prevention and intervention strategies. The findings aim to inform the development of evidence-based, technology-driven solutions that enhance early detection, promote positive peer engagement, and reduce violence in educational environments
Security in focus: An empirical examination of perceived security’s impact on tam-based use behavior of e-wallets
No full textThe present study investigates factors influencing the behavioural use of e-wallet among youths in Malaysia. It is necessary for fintech practitioners and policymakers to look into the factors that drive young users to adopt e-wallet given the rapid growth in Malaysia’s digital financial services. This study is fuelled by the need to bridge the gap between user trust and e-wallet use, especially among security-conscious and technology savvy youths. Thus, the study aims to assess the effect of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) on youths’ e-wallet behavioural use by extending it with perceived security. An online survey was conducted with 150 questionnaires distributed to youths around Malaysia. The data was then analysed using the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) software. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived security have a significant positive effect on youths’ e-wallet use behaviour, while perceived ease of use shows an insignificant effect. The study adds to the expanding literature on security in financial technology, i.e., the e-wallet, by determining the perceived security’s role in e-wallet use behaviour. The outcome of this study would benefit policymakers, e-wallet providers, and academics in undertaking strategies that would enhance perceived security and encourage users’ use behaviour
Spatiotemporal evaluation of biomass burning emissions in Equatorial Southeast Asia (ESEA) for 2013 and 2021
No full textEquatorial Southeast Asia (ESEA) is crucial to global climate dynamics, particularly during El Niño events, which greatly enhance biomass burning activities and lead to significant declines in air quality. The fire activity within this region is intricately linked to the phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the prevailing regional monsoon patterns, both of which dictate the frequency and intensity of biomass burning events. However, there is a concerning absence of comprehensive inventories detailing these emissions in ESEA. This data shortfall limits our understanding of the full impact of biomass burning on local and global scales, underscoring the pressing need for enhanced emissions inventory initiatives in the region. This study seeks to evaluate biomass burning emissions specifically for the non-El Niño years of 2013 and 2021 through a bottom-up approach. To analyze land cover distribution and identify burned areas throughout ESEA, we utilized remote sensing data from MODIS alongside geospatial analysis tools. Emission estimates were derived by multiplying the burned land area (in km2) by combustion factors (CF), fuel loading (FL), and emission factors (EF) sourced from existing literature. Our findings illustrate a stark contrast in total emissions, with 2013 generating a significantly higher total of 7,289,220.68 Mg compared to 1,536,779.55 Mg in 2021. Both years exhibited a bi-modal emission pattern, reflective of the equatorial precipitation regime, which produces two distinct dry seasons. The primary emission species identified were carbon dioxide ( CO2), followed by carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), with shrublands and evergreen forests acting as significant contributors. Notably, Sumatra and Kalimantan emerged as key emission hotspots in this analysis