bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acquisition and excretion of Bartonella quintana by the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis
Authors: Kernif Tahar , Leulmi Hamza , Socolovschi Cristina , Berenger Jean‐Michel , Lepidi Hubert , Bitam Idir , Rolain Jean‐Marc , Raoult Didier , Parola Philippe
Published: January 2014

Bartonella quintana is transmitted by the infected faeces of body lice. Recently, this bacterium was detected in cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) and in two humans with chronic adenopathy whose only risk factor was contact with cat fleas. In this study, a total of 960 C. felis were divided into 12 groups (2 control groups and 10 infected groups) each containing 80 fleas. The fleas were fed B. quintana‐inoculated human blood at different dilutions (≈3.6 × 104 − 8.4 × 109 bacteria) for 4 days via an artificial membrane. Subsequently, all flea groups were fed uninfected blood until day 13 postinfection (dpi). On day 3 pi, B. quintana was detected with two specific genes by quantitative PCR in 60–100% of randomly chosen fleas per dilution: 52% (26/50) in the infected fleas in Trial 1 and 90% (45/50) of the fleas in Trial 2. B. quintana was also identified by molecular and culture assays in flea faeces. The average number of B. quintana as determined by qPCR decreased until the 11th dpi and was absent in both trials at the 13th dpi. Bacteria were localized only in the flea gastrointestinal gut by specific immunohistochemistry. Our results indicate that cat fleas can acquire B. quintana by feeding and release viable organisms into their faeces. Therefore, fleas may play a role as vectors of trench fever or other clinical manifestations that are caused by B. quintana. However, the biological role of C. felis in the transmission of B. quintana under natural conditions is yet to be defined.
The Moral Obligations of Some Debts
Authors: Polletta Francesca , Tufail Zaibu
Published: January 2014

If given the opportunity to reduce your debt, albeit at some financial risk, would you take it? Interviews and observations in two debt settlement firms show that debt settlement clients tend not to calculate financial risks in deciding which debts to try to settle. Rather, they treat their relationship with their creditor as a reciprocal and ongoing one. If the service provided by their creditor was inadequate, clients feel justified in trying to settle their debt. Otherwise, they believe that they must pay back the debt in full. In line with recent work in economic sociology, we show that economic transactors are bound by the moral requirements of the relationship they are in. But debt settlement clients invent those relationships in at least two ways: turning a debt to an impersonal agency into a relationship with a person, and turning a relationship of inequality into one of equality. Clients may preserve some sense of autonomy in a disempowering relationship by conceptualizing their relationship with their creditor as one between equals. But there is a cost: As a result of the relational schemas on which they operate, they often refuse to try to settle debts that might be settled without lasting financial repercussions.
NGOs, IOs, and the ICC: Diagnosing and Framing Darfur
Authors: Zacher Meghan , Brehm Hollie Nyseth , Savelsberg Joachim J.
Published: January 2014

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have become influential forces in global society. They exert their influence in part by framing issues and thereby suggesting particular courses of action. This article examines how NGOs with distinct missions represent mass violence for the case of Darfur. Content analysis of reports, speeches, and other documents from Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and Save Darfur reveals distinct patterns across organizations. In addition to the organizations' specialized fields, interventions by external actors such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court affect NGO framing, but they do so in organization‐specific ways. Against presumptions of a uniform Western position on Darfur, this analysis documents that depictions of violence by Western NGOs show field‐specific patterns and distinct responses to international political and judicial interventions.
Multiband Printed Slot Meander Patch Antenna for MIMO Implementation in 4G Handheld Devices
Authors: Mohamed Nassrin Ibrahim , Abd. Rahman Tharek , Sabran Mursyidul Idzam
Published: January 2014

This paper presents a Low-proﬁle slot meander patch antennas. The antenna is a multiple communication bands for handheld devices and implements multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) technique. The proposed model covers LTE band-11 1.5 GHz Lower (1427.9 - 1452.9, 1475.9 - 1500.9), LTE band-2 PCS 1900 (1930 -1990, 1850 -1910), LTE band-7 2.6 GHz (2620-2690, 2500- 2570), and LTE band-22 3.5 GHz (3510-3590, 3410-3490) with dB matching criterion (VSWR 3:1). An isolation less than -15 dB has been obtained between two typical slot meander patch antennas. The isolation is achieved as a result of using CPW feeding mechanism and inserted CLL network isolator. This dual-feed (2-elements) planar antenna is fabricated and measured. The result of this small size structured MIMO antenna system shows a good radiation characteristics and small mutual coupling which is promising for MIMO applications in compact portable devices.
Modeling of Time-varying Ultra Wideband Multiple-input Multiple-output Channel
Authors: Zahedi Yasser , Chude-Okonkwo Uche A.K. , Ngah Razali , Zahedi Khalid , Nunoo Solomon
Published: January 2014

Ultra wideband (UWB) communication is a promising technology for achieving high data rate wireless communications. UWB transmission can be operated in the range of 3.1 to 10.6 GHz with low transmission power to prevent interference with other wireless systems. However, the low transmission power of the UWB signal limits the coverage distance of the UWB system. By using diversity techniques such as the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme, enhancement in the communication range can be obtained without compromising data rate. For the purposes of system and network design, it is always important to understand the behavior of the MIMO - UWB channel through modeling. In this paper, we propose a method to derive the synthesis equation for the time-varying MIMO-UWB channel in the time scale-domain. The channel modeling is based on the MIMO correlative modeling approach. The channel operator is represented as a fourth order tensor and the synthesis equation is derived and illustrated. The UWB correlation matrix was plotted for the stationary situation. The results show the importance of the off-diagonal channel correlation elements on the MIMO-UWB channel.
Spectral-efficiency and Demand-based Joint Relay and Bandwidth Assignment for Cooperative Relay Network
Authors: Ab Ghafar Aimi Syamimi , Fisal Norsheila , Lo Anthony , Mohamad Maharum Siti Marwangi , Saparudin Faiz Asraf , Katiran Norshidah
Published: January 2014

Cooperative communication system by exploiting multiple relay nodes (RN) offers significant performance improvement in terms of coverage and capacity. However, using all available RNs in the network is not optimal. Some RNs are located far from user equipment (UE), or having bad link quality due to fading and shadowing. Therefore, only several RNs with good link quality to the UE need to be chosen. Furthermore, in a high user density network, bandwidth is limited which requires proper resource allocation. In addition, each UE has different traffic demand to be satisfied. There are scenarios where eNodeB (eNB) and RN are wasting their resources to UE with low demand, whereas the resources can be used for different UE to compensate for its high demand. In this project, joint problem of relay and bandwidth assignment in a network with heterogeneous user traffic are studied. Accordingly, a Spectral-efficiency and Demand-based Joint Relay and Bandwidth Assignment (SE-D-JRBA) scheme is proposed which is flexible for network with diverse user traffic demands. Numerical evaluation is analyzed for SE-D-JRBA with full-duplex (FDX) and half-duplex (HDX) RN and decode-and-forward (DCF) operation, hence compared to system without relay cooperation. The results demonstrated that the proposed method obtained good system efficiency and fairness.
Localised Single-Station Lightning Detection by Using TOA Method
Authors: Salimi Behnam , Abdul-Malek Zulkurnain , Mehranzamir Kamyar , Vahabi Mashak Saeed , Nabipour Afrouzi Hadi
Published: January 2014

Lightning is an electrical discharge during storms that can be monitored continuously from certain distances. It can be either within clouds (intra cloud), or between clouds and the ground (cloud-ground). There are various techniques used nowadays to locate lightning, and to determine various parameters produced from lightning. Each technique provides its own claimed performances. This paper attempts to provide instantaneous detection of lightning strike lightning location using the Time of Arrival (TOA) method of a single detection station (comprises of four antennas). It also models the whole detection system using suitable mathematical equations so as to give some understanding on the differences between the measured and calculated (theoretical) results. The measurement system is based on the application of mathematical and geometrical formulas. Several parameters such as the distance from the radiation source to the station and the lightning path are significant in influencing the accuracy of the results (elevation and azimuth angles). The role of each parameter is examined in detail using Matlab. This study solved the resultant non-linear equations by Newton-Raphson techniques. Methods to determine the radiation source which include the exact coordinate of a given radiation source in 3-dimensions were also developed. Further clarifications on the cause of errors in the single-station TOA method and techniques to reduce the errors are given.
Prediction of Texture of Raw Poultry Meat by Visible and Near–Infrared Reflectance Spetroscopy
Authors: Abdul Rahim Herlina , Ghazali Rashidah , Sahlan Shafishuhaza , Shikh Maidin Mashitah
Published: January 2014

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a non-destructive, low cost and fast measurement technique that is required to improve the meat texture quality prediction. In this research, visible/NIR spectroscopy has been used for the prediction of raw chicken meat texture from different types of chickens by referring to the reference data obtained from destructive measurement using a Volodkevich Bite Jaws texture analyser. The Partial Least Squares analysis shows that the prediction accuracy is higher for the Az-Zain village organic chickens (85–95%) than for village chickens (42–68%) and broiler chickens (42–44%). The high prediction accuracy and low absorbance spectra of Az-Zain village organic chickens compared to broiler and village chickens could be correlated with the food composition of the chicken meal.
A Review on Electrodynamic Tomography
Authors: Ibrahim Sallehuddin , Md Yunus Mohd Amri , Mohd Sulaiman Mohd Najmi , Mohamad Nurul Liyana , Masri Kamarul Ariffin
Published: January 2014

It has always been in the interest of process industries to image the flow inside pipelines and as such they are always trying to find the most effective way to achieve that purpose. This is an area in which electrodynamic tomography can play a vital role. This paper expounds a review on electrodynamic tomography look at the design of sensors, various types of measurement which have been investigated in the past, and image reconstruction algorithms which have been used with electrodynamic tomography systems.
Some Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communication in Building Brand Equity
Authors: Fard Reza Safarinejad , Abdul Hamid Abu Bakar , Saadatmand Rozita
Published: January 2014

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) has become generally accepted, has outspread various levels within the firms, and has become an impartible component of brand. In the competitive market in 21 century, archive to a systematic brand communication is the way to moving forward and increase the performance of the firms. Marketing communication has important role to building and maintaining the shareholders communications and affect them on the terms of brand equity. For the integrated marketing communication we can mention to brands as central IMC.  Marketing communication recognizes as voice of the brand and it is a way for any organization to make contact with consumers to introduce their product.  For developing the brand equity the best way is marketing communication, more ever marketing communication help to the firms to receive the desirable responds from consumers. However, many factors have influence on brand equity such as, product, price, promotion and sale, but in this paper we considering the effect of IMC on brand equity. In this paper we provided a discussion about the positive linkage between IMC and brand equity. In this paper according to impact of IMC on brand equity, we provide the details of the role of IMC in building and maintaining strong brand equity.
Consequences of Money Laundering in Banking Sector
Authors: Sundarakani Surendran , Ramasamy M.
Published: January 2014

Banks are traditionally measured as pillars of economic prosperity. The best banking system will be able to ensure good production in all sectors of the economy. Money laundering is the process of providing legitimate appearance to the illegally gained revenue. Money Laundering has the tradition of eroding the financial institutions and weakening the financial sectors’ role in economic growth. It has the habit of facilitating corruption, crime and other illegal activities at the expense of countries development and can increase the risk of macroeconomic instability. Banks and other financial institutions are at the forefront of the battle against the money launderers. The negative economic effects of money laundering on economic development are difficult to quantify. International society expects every bank to perform customer identification and due diligence as it is the important control measure in preventing criminals from entering into the legitimate economy. The cost involved in combating money laundering and terrorist financing transactions are increasing largely on yearly basis however unable to eradicate them.
Women Entrepreneurs in Bahrain: Motivations and Barriers
Authors: Al-Ghazali Basheer Mohammed , Md Yusoff Rosman , Sadi Muhammad Asad
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this paper is to examine the motivations underlying decisions by women in Bahrain to set up a business and the challenges confronted. The analysis is based on a survey of 40 male and 40 female respondents.  Descriptive statistics and T and ANOVA tests were applied to assess the relative importance of motivational factors, differences in perspective by gender and the impact of age. The results reveal that profit achievement is the most powerful motivational factor for business women in Bahrain. Barriers include lack of belief in their abilities, absence of support from the government, insufficient market information, and an economy dominated by a few large companies. Due to resource constraints and problems of contacting women in Bahrain, the sample size was restricted to 170 participant organizations. Nevertheless, this was deemed sufficient to carry out the research study and the results provide a rare insight into the entrepreneurial spirit amongst Bahraini women. Bahrain is particularly interesting because it is regarded a moderate Arab country with a mix of Arab and European business practices. To the authors’ knowledge, no other study has explicitly focused on the motivations of Bahrain business women
Event Sustainability Practices Among Professonal Company Organizers: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Zamzuri Norol Hamiza , Awang Khairil Wahidin , Abdul Aziz Yuhanis , Samdin Zaiton
Published: January 2014

The growth of business event results in a potential impact to the environment if the waste from event materials is not properly managed by event organizers. The waste from event materials can create negative impact to the environment. This problem leads to the emergence of several sustainable strategies practiced by stakeholders, however, little is known on the issues involve in the process of organizing a sustainable event. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the issues involved during the process of organizing a sustainable event.  Inductive method was used in this study as it gives better insight on the real phenomenon. The data were collected from event organizers through in-depth interviews.
Technological Knowledge, Innovation and Risk-taking Capability and International New Venture’s Performance
Authors: Mohd. Osman Mohd. Hassan , Roudini Azizallah , Heidarzadagan Alireza
Published: January 2014

The choice of technological knowledge with innovation & risk- taking capability is a significant strategic decision for the success of international new ventures (INVs) performance. Therefore, this study’s aim is to offer a new construct, build up the conception model ” technological knowledge- innovation & risk- taking capability- international new venture’s performance”. And to examine how technology knowledge and innovation & risk- taking capability of international new venture’s (INVs) firms help to them in the development of international performance. Based on the literature of the investigation, it exhibits the theoretical supporting for positive connections between variables in the proposed model. Therefore, the study will use a mix-method approach to sequential explanatory design for testing the hypotheses. An email survey instrument would be utilized for data collation. The sample of the investigation is Malaysian international new venture firms that consist of products and services. It is expected to contribute to knowledge as a resource and international entrepreneurship by illustration a model of technological knowledge, Innovation & Risk- taking Capability and international performance.
A Review on Customer Loyalty as a Main Goal of Customer Relationship Management
Authors: Asgarpour Rasoul , Abdul Hamid Abu Bakar , Mousavi Bahaedin , Jamshidi Majid
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this paper is to make more clarification by reviewing on customer loyalty as a main goal of customer relationship management (CRM). It is because; despite of all findings provided by researchers and practitioners, customer loyalty confronts high percentage of failure in CRM implementation. In this study customer loyalty is reviewed and classified into those aspects which should be considered in order to enhance lifetime value of the customer. In this sense, customer loyalty is discussed by offering a review on the importance of customer loyalty, and customer loyalty dimensions. Furthermore, the most frequent measurements of customer loyalty are provided as well. Finally, the paper finds out, in spite of having almost complete perspective and understanding of customer loyalty, there is still a gap in the main precedents of customer loyalty theoretically and empirically. In this regard, more investigation required to specify the most important precedents which have significant impact on customer loyalty.
A Decision-Making Process for Selecting of Lean Tools Implementation Methods by Means of Analytical Hierarchy Process in Health Center
Authors: Seyedi Seyed Navid , Hakimi Saeed , Ahmadi Hadi Badri , Rezvan Pouyan , Izadifar Mozghan
Published: January 2014

Decision making is contemplated as a serious task in management context and it becomes more challenging when appropriate alternatives should be selected among various options based on some criteria. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is one of the multi-criteria decision making methods, which is widely used in management science because of its reliable and acceptable performance. In this study, a novel execution of adjusted AHP in decision making was utilized in a case study in Iran in order to find the best method for application of lean concept among alternatives. Previous-mentioned alternatives are consulting, college student, and internal human resource. Case study results demonstrated that using consultants for carrying out lean tools is the best method. The degree of consistency is satisfactory and proved the accuracy and correction of application of AHP in finding the best method for implementation of lean tools.
Kedudukan Joint-Tenancy dan Kepentingannya dalam Pemilikan Rumah Menurut Perspektif Undang-Undang Islam dan Sivil di Singapura
Authors: Mustar Suhaimi , Muhamad Nasrul Hisyam Nor
Published: January 2014

Joint-Tenancy (Pemilikan-Bersama) ialah konsep pemilikan harta secara bersama, setiap pemilik mempunyai hak sama rata tanpa mengira sumbagan peribadi. Apabila mati salah satu pemilik, maka haknya berpindah kepada pemilik yang hidup secara automatik, sekalipun si mati meninggalkan wasisat. Permasalahannya, konsep ini bercanggah dengan syariah. Artikel ini membincangkan pemakaian konsep Joint-Tenancy di Singapura dan kedudukannya dari perspektif Islam. Artikel ini hanya memfokuskan amalan Joint-Tenancy dalam pemilikan rumah, manakala jenis-jenis harta lain hanya dibincang secara umum. Data premier bagi amalan Joint-Tenancy diperolehi melalui temu bual individu berautoriti di MUIS, pakar perundangan, rujukan terhadap statut dan kes yang dilaporkan berkaitan subjek. manakala data mengenai isu-isu fiqh, rujukan dibuat terhadap kita-kitab turath fiqh, usul al-fiqh, tafsir dan hadis. Hasilnya, artikel ini mengetengahkan konsep Joint-Tenancy sebagai perancangan harta Islam sesuai dilaksanakan dalam konteks tempatan.
Kajian Terhadap Penggunaan IBS dalam Projek Swasta di Kawasan Lembah Klang
Authors: Mohd Nawi Mohd Nasrun , Azman Mohamed Nor Azhari , Mohamad Kamar Kamarul Anuar , Abd Hamid Zuhairi
Published: January 2014

Sektor pembinaan berasaskan industri atau Industrialised Building System (IBS) merupakan satu kaedah pembinaan menggunakan bahan binaan yang diindustrikan di kilang pembuatan. Kaedah ini dapat menggantikan kaedah konvensional dimana ia dapat mengurangkan tenaga buruh asing selain dapat meningkatkan kualiti binaan, pengurangan kos dan masa pembinaan. Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mewujudkan satu satu garis panduan yang boleh digunapakai khususnya dalam menggalakkan kesemua projek pembinaan swasta di Lembah Klang menggunakan Sistem IBS pada tahun 2015. Justeru, kajian ini dijalankan dengan mengukur tahap penggunaan IBS di dalam kerja-kerja pembinaan bangunan. Terdapat sebanyak 400 projek swasta di Lembah Klang telah dikenal pasti sebagai sampel untuk kajian ini dan 184 projek swasta telah menggunakan teknologi IBS yang mencapai skor IBS 55 peratus ke atas. Hasil daripada dapatan kajian ini telah mengenalpasti persepsi, halangan yang wujud dan langkah-langkah yang perlu diambil di dalam perlaksanaan serta mengkaji kriteria untuk membangunkan model perniagaan yang boleh dijadikan konsep untuk projek IBS di sektor swasta.
Fine Aggregate Angularity Effects on Rutting Resistance of Asphalt Mixture
Authors: Ramli Izzul , Yaacob Haryati , Abdul Hassan Norhidayah , Ismail Che Ros , Hainin Mohd Rosli
Published: January 2014

Fine Aggregate Angularity (FAA) has been identified as one of the important aggregate properties contributing to the stability of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) and its resistance against permanent deformation. The performance of dense graded asphalt mixture is significantly influenced by the shape, angularity and surface texture of fine aggregates. This study determines the FAA for different types of aggregates namely granite and natural sand and evaluates the rutting resistance of AC 10 mixture added with the aforementioned aggregates. Marshall test and wheel tracking test were carried out in order to assess stability and rutting resistance. It was found from FAA test, crushed granite has higher percentage of FAA (46%) compared to natural sand (37%). With higher FAA value, crushed granite mix was found to have better stability, stiffness, and flow compared to specimen with natural sand. From wheel tracking test, it was observed that the rut depth for specimen with crushed granite is lower compared to specimen with natural sand. Therefore it can be concluded that fine aggregates with more angular shape, provides better stability and increase the rutting resistance.
Laboratory Evaluation on Steel Slag as Aggregate Replacement in Stone Mastic Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Hainin Mohd Rosli , Rusbintardjo Gatot , Abdul Aziz Mohd Azizi , Hamim Asmah , Md. Yusoff Nur Izzi
Published: January 2014

The stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixture has been used in many developed countries with the addition of by-product to reduce the consumption of aggregates in road construction. Recently, the Malaysian Public Works Department (PWD) has launched the new specifications on specialty mixture and surface treatment, including SMA. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the use of steel slag as an aggregate replacement in Malaysian SMA. Two types of mixes; namely SMA14 and SMA20 were used in this study. The Marshall Mix design method with 50 compaction efforts was used for the design mix for both mixes, where all the standards were referred to the PWD specification (JKR/SPJ/2008-S4). The performance of SMA14- and SMA20- steel slag mixtures was evaluated in terms of the resilient modulus, rutting and creep deformations, conducted by means of a universal testing machine (UTM) and a Wessex wheel tracking. Except for the water absorption test, it was observed that the strength and shape of the steel slag aggregate meet the PWD specification. In addition, the results also show that the use of steel slag improves the strength and resistance to rutting compared to the control SMA samples.
Influence of Income Level and Age on Per Capita Household Solid Waste Generation in Putrajaya, Malaysia
Authors: Irwan Dani , Basri N. E. A. , Watanabe K. , Abushammala M. F. M.
Published: January 2014

Municipal solid waste (MSW) has always been an unavoidable byproduct of human habitation and activities. It has continued to be a problem as we are forced to find ways to properly manage it. As the world now sees an exponential growth in population, so does it sees an alarming increase in the quantity of generated MSW. If managed and disposed of improperly, MSW is a major cause of adverse environmental conditions. Rapid development, urbanization, changes in consumption patterns and elevated levels of affluence in recent decades have only exacerbated the issue, especially in transitionary countries such as Malaysia. Hence, the impetus to handle these problems and to manage MSW in an efficient yet environmentally sound manner is reaching an apogee currently. Determining per capita MSW generation rate and understanding its influencing factors is one step towards efficient MSW management. The objectives of this study is to determine current per capita residential MSW arising rate and subsequently to discern if a relationship exists between MSW generation rate, affluence and age of the residents of nominated households. Three discrete housing neighborhoods in Putrajaya were selected as the areas under study. To capture varying socioeconomic levels, the selected study areas consists of bungalow, semidetached and terraced houses. Primary data was obtained by door-to-door weighing of MSW for 12 consequent days which makes up a sampling phase. This was conducted concurrently in all study areas, with a total of 3 sampling phases done over a 1 year period. A face-to-face survey was then performed on all households under study to obtain relevant socioeconomic data. From this study, it is determined that on average, the bungalow houses under study generated 0.47 kg/cap/day of MSW, semidetached housing area produces 0.31 kg/cap of MSW daily and terraced houses had an MSW output of 0.26 kg/cap/day. This shows that affluence has a positive affect on MSW discharge rate as households that earn a higher income tend to produce more waste. However, the link between age and MSW discharge rate is found to be inconclusive. From this study, concerted efforts to reduce MSW arising can be better focused on selected target groups and demographics, bringing us a step closer to formulating and implementing sustainable waste management practices.
Modification of Cellulose by Polymethyl Methacrylate Grafting for Membrane Applications
Authors: Shamsuddin Mohd Razali , Fauzee Siti Norfatihah , Anuar Farah Hannan , Abdullah Ibrahim , Othaman Rizafizah
Published: January 2014

Cellulose is a renewable resource that receives attention from researchers due to its potential as a raw material for the production of biofuels and new composite materials. In this study, cellulose extracted from pineapple (Ananas Comosus) leaves was grafted with polymethyl methacrylate in order to prepare a hydrophobic composite membrane with high surface area. Extraction of Î±-cellulose from the pineapple leaves was carried out by alkali treatment and the cellulose was grafted with PMMA at a concentration of 6 ml/g and a temperature of 60Â C for 5 hours by radical polymerization via direct oxidation of Ce (IV) ions. After polymerization process completed, the homopolymer or excess PMMA was extracted from the grafted product in acetone for 24 hours.Â  The cellulose and grafted products were analyzed and compared by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscope (FTIR), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (VP-SEM) and surface area analyzer (BET). FTIR shows the presence of additional peak from cellulose spectrum at 1736 cm-1 attributed to the ester carbonyl group (C=O) from PMMA, XRD indicates the declination of crystallinity index, VPSEM displays a rough surface compared to a smooth cellulose surface and the increment of diameter, while BET gives a 200 % higher surface area to prove that PMMA was successfully grafted on the extracted cellulose which specially named as Cell-g-PMMA. Cell-g-PMMA will further been filled into the ENR/PVC matrix to develop a hydrophobic composite membrane for oil-water separation.
Physical and Mechanical Properties of High Performance Concrete with Alum Sludge as Partial Cement Replacement
Authors: Mohammed Owaid Haider , Hamid Roszilah , Sheikh Abdullah Siti Rozaimah , Tan Kofli Noorhisham , Taha Mohd Raihan
Published: January 2014

Alum sludge (AS) is a by-product of water treatment plants that use aluminum salts as a primary coagulant, and is the most widely generated water treatment residual/sludge worldwide. It usually contains colloidal alum hydroxides that are often amorphous species. The present paper examines the influence of AS powder as partial Portland cement type I replacement on the mechanical properties of high-performance concrete (HPC). AS with 90% fineness was passed through a 45 Âµm sieve (No. 325).The present study used a concrete mix with a fixed water/binder ratio of 0.33 and a constant total binder content of 483 kg/m3.The percentages of the alum sludge by weight of cement were: 0%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15%. Slump tests were performed on fresh concrete to measure workability. The mechanical properties, dry densities, compressive strengths, and splitting tensile strengths of the concrete samples were investigated at 3, 7, and 28 days, whereas flexural strength was monitored at the age 28 days.Â  Specimens without AS were compared with those that contained AS. The results revealed that the workability of the concrete consistently increased as the amount of cement replaced with AS increased. It was found that the concrete with 6% AS cement replacement demonstrated improved compressive strength and splitting tensile strength at all ages, compared with the control concrete.
Synthesis of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Chitosan/Titanium Oxide Beads
Authors: Sulaiman Syazwan Liyana , Harun Zawati , Ahmad Sufizar , Taib Hariati
Published: January 2014

The application of photocatalytic beads in wastewater treatment application has gained attention of many researchers. In this study, the synthesised poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/Titanium oxide (PVA/CS/TiO2) beads has been considered as a promising alternative to conventional means of wastewater treatment. The present study has successfully synthesised PVA/CS/TiO2 beads through simple dropwise method in which varied concentration of CS from 1.0 g to 2.5 g. Morphological analysis of the synthesised PVA/CS/TiO2 beads investigated by the FE-SEM technique revealed that porous beads were obtained regardless of the varied CS concentration content. Furthermore, solubility and swelling properties investigation of the beads were also performed within the prescribed time of 24h in three different medium which were acidic, distilled water and alkaline solution. Result of solubility test proved that PVA/CS/TiO2 beads were insoluble only in distilled water and alkaline solution. However, the beads were found to dissolve in acidic solution due to the CS content. Meanwhile, the swelling test revealed that increased concentration of CS leads to swelling of beads in distilled water and alkaline solution. Results revealed that beads with the highest CS composition which is 2.5 g recorded 82.6% and 118.4% of swelling in distilled water and alkaline solution, respectively. In the mean time, beads with the lowest CS composition which is 1.0 g only swell for 65.8% and 93.3% in distilled water and alkaline solution, respectively. As a conclusion, the synthesised beads in this study is feasible to be applied in natural to alkaline environment.
Investigation of New Polyester Nanofiltration (NF) Membrane Fouling with Humic Acid Solution
Authors: Jalanni N. A. , Abu Seman M. N. , Faizal C. K. M.
Published: January 2014

Ultrafiltration (UF) polyethersulfone membrane support has been modified by interfacial polymerization technique using reaction of aqueous solution and organic solution to form thin film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membrane. A new polyester layer were produced on the top surface of UF support by the reaction between triethanolamine (TEOA) (6% w/v) in the aqueous solution and solution containing trimesoyl chloride (TMC) (0.15%w/v) at different of reaction times (15, 25 and 35 min). The decrease of membrane permeability was related to the changes of the membrane morphology (i.e. membrane thickness) as the reaction times were increased. Irreversible membrane fouling has been studied by using humic acid as model of natural organic matter (NOM) solutions at two different pH values (7 and 3). At pH 7, it was observed that the NF TFC membranes exhibited practically less tendency to be irreversibly fouled by humic acid. However, the permeate flux was decreased and the irreversible fouling factor was increased with decreasing the pH to a value of 3.
Preparation and Characterization of Polysulfone/Polyphenylsulfone/Titanium Dioxide Composite Ultrafiltration Membranes for Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment
Authors: Ismail N. , Lau W. J. , Ismail A. F. , Goh P. S.
Published: January 2014

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the largest pollutant discharged into the rivers of Malaysia. An efficient treatment system is highly desirable in palm oil mills in order to control the effluent discharged to any water bodies. In this study, composite ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were successufully prepared by incorporating polysulfone (PSF)/polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) blend membranes with inorganic TiO2 nanoparticles in the range of 0–4 wt%. Prior to POME treatment process, the properties of the resulting membranes were first characterized with respect to pure water flux, BSA rejection, hydrophilicity and structural morphologies. Of the membranes tested, it is found that membrane without TiO2 incorporation demonstrated the highest pure water flux, i.e. 82.81 L/m2h with BSA rejection of 98% when tested at 2 bar.  The decreasing water flux with increasing TiO2 loading in the membrane is mainly due to the high viscosity of the dope solution which delayed the phase inversion process and resulted in reduced surface pore size. For the POME treatment process, the results showed that UF membrane could effectively treat the wastewater by removing up to 87% BOD3, 90% COD and almost complete elimination of turbidity.
Numerical Estimation of Hollow Fiber Membrane for Mobile Water Treatment
Authors: Bolong Nurmin , Ramli Rosdianah , Ayog Janice Lynn , Yasser Abu Zahrim
Published: January 2014

In the application of water treatment system, membrane has gained favour in the industry as well as in the research field. In pressure-driven category, ultrafiltration membrane with pore size of 3 to 10 nm is one of the choices for water treatment application. With the advantages of being compacted and self-supporting, hollow fiber membrane configuration has been widely used as ultrafiltration membrane. This is an important feature for a mobile water treatment system developed in this work. The mobile water treatment system is investigated in terms of its operational performance focusing for simple setup configuration. Mobility of the membrane treatment system in this work is aim to develop a stand-alone membrane water treatment system that can operates without electricity. Therefore, the system targeted to be a self-sufficient in rural areas where electricity and delivery of spare parts are difficult. A membrane filtration system with outside-in hollow fiber membrane is developed.  The numerical approach of Response Surface Method (RSM) is used to estimate and optimize the flux performance in this work. The operating conditions i.e transmembrane pressure (TMP) as well as the local condition (water temperature) were considered in the numerical estimation. The initial numerical estimation found that the developed mobile system has permeate flux range from 0.422 L/m2h up to 3.035 L/m2h for local temperature of 20˚C to 35˚C and further optimization were discussed in this study.
Influence of Inorganic Additives on the Performance of Polysulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane
Authors: Yunos Muhamad Zaini , Harun Zawati , Basri Hatijah , Shohur Mohd Fikri , Jamalludin Mohd Riduan , Hassan Sulaiman , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi
Published: January 2014

The influence of zinc oxide and silver (I) oxide in polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane was studied. The membranes were prepared via phase inversion method. The morphology, surface roughness, hydrophillicity and antibacterial properties of membrane were investigated using SEM, AFM and contact angle device consecutively. It was found that membrane with zinc oxide additive has excellent pure water flux as compared to silver (I) oxide. However silver (I) oxide has better humic acid rejection due to the tradeoff effect. SEM-EDX for PSf/silver (I) oxide reveals that the accumulation of silver on top area in cross section of membrane while for zinc oxide seems more concentrated on the bottom. Interestingly, the AFM results support the previous result when PSf/zinc oxide showed better surface roughness on the top of the membrane. Eventhough zinc oxide is known one of antibacterial material, however from qualitative experiment using disc diffusion test (e-coli), there is no inhibition ring for PSf/zinc oxide membrane as compared to membrane with PSf/silver (I) oxide membrane which shows excellence inhibition ring.
Developing LEP Oral Fluency with a Dialogue Template
Authors: Idris Mardiana , Zakaria Mohamad Hassan
Published: January 2014

Dialogue template (DT) is a fluency tool, conceptualized based on chunking and template theories to aid limited English proficiency (LEP) learners in their fluency practice. This article shares findings of learnersâ€™ gain scores on their speech rate (SR) and average length of pause (ALP) after a month of instructional intervention. Qualitative analyses found teacherâ€™s observation and participantsâ€™ responses converged in three aspects of DT efficacy: SR improvement, chunks-assisted practice and sense of confidence. Findings are discussed in relation to its practical implications in the classroom as well as beyond the study, particularly on chunks analysis, pausing phenomena and alternative fluency tool.
The Use of Digital Stories for Listening Comprehension among Primary Chinese Medium School Pupils: Some Preliminary Findings
Authors: Sandaran Shanti C. , Kia Lim Chia
Published: January 2014

This article reports on preliminary findings based on observations and comprehension exercises during an on-going study on the use of digital stories for listening comprehension among Primary Year 3 students in a CÂ­hinese medium school. The preliminary findings would inform the main study that looks at the effectiveness of digital stories for listening comprehension. 30 primary Year 3 students (aged 9) were involved in the listening/viewing of 8 animations of fairy tales over a period of 8 weeks. The findings based on the observations revealed that the students displayed high levels of interest, attention and motivation. The students also showed interest in fairy tales. The results from the comprehension exercises showed some level of improvement in their comprehension of the stories. Finally, it was also noted that pre-teaching vocabulary is essential to ensure the success of digital stories in improving studentsâ€™ listening comprehension. The findings indicate the potential of digital stories in increasing the level of motivation, interest, and attention in ESL/EFL learning.
Experimental and Numerical Studies on Spherical Roller Bearings Using Multivariable Regression Analysis
Authors: Desavale R. G. , Venkatachalam R. , Chavan S. P.
Published: January 2014

Many industries make wide use of rotor bearing systems such as high speed turbines and generators. However, the vibration of antifriction rotor–bearings is a key factor in reducing the life of the bearings; thus significantly influencing the performance and working life of the whole power plant. In earlier research on the vibration characteristics of high speed rotor–bearing systems, such as in induced draft (ID) fans, an application used in sugar cane factories, the supporting antifriction bearings were simplified as a particle on a shaft with radial stiffness and damping coefficient. However, such simplification neglects the effects of the bearing structure on the vibration performance of the rotor–bearing system. This paper demonstrates the benefits of a more holistic approach and establishes a numerical model of the stiffness of the spherical roller bearing through Buckingham's π theorem (BPT). On the basis of this model, we argue for the benefits of a new dimensional analysis (DA) technique for rotor–bearing systems. Our new DA also considers the influences of the bearing structure parameters on the vibration of rotor–bearing systems. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by conducting a comparative BPT study using an ID fan, a rotor–bearing system in use in sugar cane factories. We first analyzed an ID fan using the simplified model to obtain the defect frequencies and vibration amplitude responses of the ID fan system. Subsequently the same ID fan rotor was also analyzed using our new multivariable regression analysis (MVRA) approach to verify the validity of our new and holistic BPT. The results indicate that the new method we propose in this paper for the calculation of vibration characteristics of a high speed rotor–bearing (ID fan) is credible and will save time and costs by the accurate detection of imminent bearing failure.
Static and Dynamic Response of Beams on Nonlinear Viscoelastic Unilateral Foundations: A Multimode Approach
Authors: Bhattiprolu Udbhau , Davies Patricia , Bajaj Anil K.
Published: January 2014

Nonlinear viscoelastic behavior is a characteristic of many engineering materials including flexible polyurethane foam, yet it is difficult to develop dynamic models of systems that include these materials and are able to predict system behavior over a wide range of excitations. This research is focused on a specific example system in the form of a pinned-pinned beam interacting with a viscoelastic foundation. Two cases are considered: (1) the beam and the foundation are glued so that they are always in contact and the foundation can undergo both tension and compression, and (2) the beam is not glued to the foundation and the foundation reacts only in compression so that the contact region changes with beam motion. Static as well as dynamic transverse and axial forces act on the beam, and the Galerkin method is used to derive modal amplitude equations for the beam-foundation system. In the second case of the beam on tensionless foundation, loss of contact between the beam and the foundation can arise and determination of the loss-of-contact points is integrated into the solution procedure through a constraint equation. The static responses for both cases are examined as a function of the foundation nonlinearity and loading conditions. The steady-state response of the system subject to static and harmonic loads is studied by using numerical direct time-integration. Numerical challenges and the accuracy of this approach are discussed, and predictions of solutions by the three-mode and five-mode approximate models are compared to establish convergence of solutions. Frequency responses are studied for a range of foam nonlinearities and loading conditions.
Limitations of the TG‐43 formalism for skin high‐dose‐rate brachytherapy dose calculations
Authors: Granero Domingo , Perez‐Calatayud Jose , Vijande Javier , Ballester Facundo , Rivard Mark J.
Published: January 2014

Purpose:

In skin high‐dose‐rate (HDR) brachytherapy, sources are located outside, in contact with, or implanted at some depth below the skin surface. Most treatment planning systems use the TG‐43 formalism, which is based on single‐source dose superposition within an infinite water medium without accounting for the true geometry in which conditions for scattered radiation are altered by the presence of air. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric limitations of the TG‐43 formalism in HDR skin brachytherapy and the potential clinical impact.

Methods:

Dose rate distributions of typical configurations used in skin brachytherapy were obtained: a 5 cm × 5 cm superficial mould; a source inside a catheter located at the skin surface with and without backscatter bolus; and a typical interstitial implant consisting of an HDR source in a catheter located at a depth of 0.5 cm. Commercially available HDR60Co and 192Ir sources and a hypothetical 169Yb source were considered. The Geant4 Monte Carlo radiation transport code was used to estimate dose rate distributions for the configurations considered. These results were then compared to those obtained with the TG‐43 dose calculation formalism. In particular, the influence of adding bolus material over the implant was studied.

Results:

For a 5 cm × 5 cm192Ir superficial mould and 0.5 cm prescription depth, dose differences in comparison to the TG‐43 method were about −3%. When the source was positioned at the skin surface, dose differences were smaller than −1% for 60Co and 192Ir, yet −3% for 169Yb. For the interstitial implant, dose differences at the skin surface were −7% for 60Co, −0.6% for 192Ir, and −2.5% for 169Yb.

Conclusions:

This study indicates the following: (i) for the superficial mould, no bolus is needed; (ii) when the source is in contact with the skin surface, no bolus is needed for either 60Co and 192Ir. For lower energy radionuclides like 169Yb, bolus may be needed; and (iii) for the interstitial case, at least a 0.1 cm bolus is advised for 60Co to avoid underdosing superficial target layers. For 192Ir and 169Yb, no bolus is needed. For those cases where no bolus is needed, its use might be detrimental as the lack of radiation scatter may be beneficial to the patient, although the 2% tolerance for dose calculation accuracy recommended in the AAPM TG‐56 report is not fulfilled.