103790 research outputs found
Sort by
Managing university crises through psychological distance and information strategies
Get PDFHigher education institutions experiencing organizational misconduct frequently need to communicate with the public to reduce reputation damage and diminishing supportive intentions. Whether such information should be abstract or concrete is still being debated. This study investigates the effectiveness of organizational information strategy through an online factorial experiment, grounded in the principles of situational crisis communication theory and construal-level theory. The findings indicate that concretely developed information strategies are more effective when the organization is viewed as psychologically close to (rather than distant from) the public. Similarly, abstractly articulated information strategies work better when the organization is viewed as psychologically near. Finally, research reveals that information strategy exerts a greater influence on organizational reputation and supportive intention than temporal and spatial distance. By including information construal levels and psychological distance in crisis response strategies, this study provides helpful guidance for universities to manage crises efficiently
Radiation shielding study of tungsten impact on tellurite-bismuth based glasses
Get PDFThe current study, a new Pb-free glasses of host (H) and four samples (S1-S4) of tellurite-bismuth-tungsten oxide according to formula: (70-x) TeO2–10Bi2O3–10ZnO-10Al2O3- xWO3, x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mol %, were prepared by traditional melt-quenching method. The phase formation of all samples is analyzed by XRD (x-ray diffraction) were found they are without any crystallization network. Some physical properties like density and molar volume were estimated as well. Within energy of 0.015MeV-15MeV, samples are investigated in terms of gamma ray radiation shielding features. The MCNP5 stimulation code and theoretical XCOM software in addition to the other relevant equations are implemented to determine the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values where the other parameters are identified depending on its value such as mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff) and half-value layer (HVL). Also, the exposure build factor (EBF) and energy absorbed build factor (EABF) are evaluated by the geometric progression (G-P) fitting method. The appearance of synthesized glasses reflects that, the increment of WO3 contents leads to increase the glasses opacity due to their density between 3.532 - 3.912 g/cm3. The uncertainty concentrations of the samples are calculated were they emphasized the accuracy of glass compositions. Moreover, the calculation results of stimulated MCNP5 code and theoretical XCOM program are closely matched, as the difference between them can be neglected. Further, the comparison with other works is made which emphasized the enhancement of the findings. Finally, according to above merits and results, the effectiveness of the radiation shielding features can be obviously recognized which is due to the WO3 incorporated concentrations
Exploring the potential of kenaf seed proteins produced via freeze, spray and vacuum oven drying: A comparison with commercial soy and whey proteins
Get PDFThe effect of freeze drying (FD), spray drying (SD) and vacuum oven drying (VOD) on the structural, thermal, physicochemical and techno-functional properties of kenaf seed proteins was studied. Their functional performance was also compared with commercial soy protein (SP) and whey protein (WP). Microstructural observation revealed distinct morphologies, with FD exhibiting a plate-like structure, SD producing spherical particles and VOD resulting in a block structure. FD and SD exhibited similar molecular weight distributions, greater structural flexibility and lower surface hydrophobicity compared to VOD. All drying methods exhibited high and comparable thermal denaturation temperature. SD produced the lightest-coloured protein powder, closely resembling the colour of commercial SP and WP. The essential amino acids content of FD, SD and VOD was comparable to that of SP and WP. Based on functional performance, FD and SD showed the highest solubility, oil holding capacity (OHC) and foaming properties; FD exhibited excellent emulsion properties; VOD demonstrated superior water holding capacity (WHC); and SD exhibited the best gelling properties. Notably, FD, SD and VOD of kenaf seed protein outperformed commercial SP and WP in most functional properties, except for solubility and gelling (WP) and WHC (SP), highlighting their promising potential as sustainable plant-based protein alternative
Enhancing energy savings verification in industrial settings using deep learning and anomaly detection within the IPMVP framework
No full textThis study advances industrial energy Measurement and Verification (M&V) practices by integrating Deep Learning (DL) techniques with automated anomaly detection, challenging traditional M&V reliance on manual non-routine adjustments. The research explores whether automated, data-driven anomaly detection can replace these adjustments, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in energy savings verification post-energy conservation measures (ECMs)—a critical need for industrial applications. Utilizing a dataset with 30-minute to weekly interval readings, CNN, DNN, and RNN models were applied across 12 datasets to identify the most effective model for baseline prediction using key IPMVP performance metrics (CVRMSE, NMBE, R2) alongside MAPE and RMSE. The baseline modelling findings indicate that DNN performs optimally at 30-minute intervals (R2 = 0.9600, RMSE = 22.82), hourly intervals (R2 = 0.9581, RMSE = 23.27), and daily intervals (R2 = 0.9347, RMSE = 28.00). CNN, however, demonstrated the best performance for weekly intervals (R2 = 0.8875, RMSE = 31.91). DNN provides the best overall performance across most intervals, offering a reliable balance of accuracy and practicality for regular energy baseline prediction. For anomaly detection and savings impact, the 30-minute RNN model achieved the highest estimated savings of 4.38 million kWh which translates to 27.35 % of the total energy consumption of 16,000,000 kWh with a low standard error (0.634 kWh), demonstrating strong predictive precision. Across all frequencies, savings estimates exceeded twice the standard error, meeting IPMVP acceptability criteria and confirming the robustness of this approach. These findings substantiate that deep learning-based anomaly detection can effectively replace traditional non-routine adjustments, providing a reliable, streamlined solution for energy savings calculations. Visualizations within the study illustrate the model's enhancements, with comparative charts showing both original and anomaly-adjusted energy consumption and savings. This study contributes to the M&V field by demonstrating that, when integrated into the IPMVP framework, anomaly detection offers an efficient and accurate method for energy savings verification, paving the way for more streamlined, data-driven M&V processes in industrial settings. Additionally, it provides insights into optimizing deep learning models for energy data analysis, supporting quicker, more precise energy management decisions
Influence of oil-based and water-based lubrication on tool wear of DLC/TiAlN-coated punches in blanking of stainless steel
Get PDFThis study aims to eliminate the use of oil-based lubricants in the metal forming process by integrating a new tribological system of double-layered Carbon/Titanium Aluminum Nitride (DLC/TiAlN) with water-based lubrication. The research compared the performance of traditional oil-based lubricant (cutting fluids) against water-based lubricants containing Magnesium Oxide (MgO) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. This waterbased lubricant, prepared through a two-step method, is applied to the surface of 1 mm thick SUS304 stainless steel during the blanking process. A mixture of MgO and SiC reduces the coefficient of friction more effectively than when using a single additive. The combined effect of using DLC/TiAlN-coated tools with water-based lubricants with MgO/SiC additives increases resistance to galling, leading to a 14% reduction in draining force compared to dry friction and a 3% reduction compared to cutting fluids. Moreover, the combination of MgO/SiC minimizes the formation of burrs at the edge of the product during the blanking process. The water-based lubricants with MgO/SiC are a competitive alternative to oil-based lubricants in the metal forming industry
Strengthening salt reduction policy for Malaysia through proposed maximum salt targets of selected processed food groups
Get PDFThe World Health Organization recommends a daily salt intake of less than 5.0 g. Similarly, Malaysia’s Salt Reduction Strategy to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases (2021–2025) targets a daily intake of less than 6.0 g by 2025, achievable through salt reduction in processed and prepared foods. However, the lack of maximum salt targets for food businesses to adhere to, poses a potential challenge to the effectiveness of salt reduction efforts. This paper presents a step-wise approach to propose maximum salt targets in key food categories, paving the way for mandatory or voluntary policy interventions. Following a step-wise approach by Downs et al. (2015) for setting national salt targets, this study systematically proposed maximum salt targets for selected food categories. Steps included: (1) identifying major contributors to dietary salt (2) selecting target food categories; and (3) establishing target levels. Steps 1 and 2 were performed by reviewing literature from local dietary survey and analyzing street food nutrient content as well as retrieving secondary data from previous market surveys. An additional market survey was conducted in February 2024 following the gazettement of mandatory sodium labelling in January 2024. Scatter plot analysis, literature reviews and expert consultations were used to achieve Step 3. Step 1 identified that the major contributors to Malaysia’s salt intake are cooked food and processed foods. A total of 14 food categories under the Food Regulation 1985 were selected for target setting based on their contribution to dietary salt intake and relevance to ongoing revision in the Malaysia Food Act 1983 (Step 2). The 75th percentile sodium level was selected as the maximum salt target and adjusted by a further 10–20% reduction based on sales data from a reputable source (Step 3). This study proposed maximum salt targets for 14 food categories, which are recognised as major contributors to salt intake in Malaysian diets. There is a need to further engage with stakeholders and develop monitoring mechanisms to support the implementation of maximum salt targets as well as evaluating consumer behaviour changes