Identification of contractual issues in agriculture process A dematel- based model

The agriculture sector contributes vastly to a nation’s economy, including Malaysia. Nevertheless, limited research has looked on the contractual issues in agriculture process. The purpose of this study was to explore the contractual issues in the agriculture process and determine the relationship between both variables. The respondents involved seven experts from the agriculture sector in Sabah, Malaysia and a survey questionnaire were used to gather the data. Subsequently, the DEMATEL method was used to create the causal and effect diagram between the contractual issues. The results showed that Delayed Delivery Issues (Issue A) is the most crucial contract issue in agriculture and must be addressed. Furthermore, the most crucial relationship existed between Crucial Contract Issues (Issue A) and Contract Duration (Issue E). These issues should be studied further to improve the agriculture sector

Record dengue deaths in Bangladesh as disease patterns change

The worst dengue outbreak to ever strike Bangladesh was in 2023, caused by the DENV-2 strain. The Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) estimated case fatality rate of 0.53 % in 2023 based on a total of 32,1179 laboratory-confirmed cases and 17,05 associated fatalities. The outbreak has spread to all eight divisions of the nation and displayed unique seasonality as well as an early, dramatic rise in case count, peaking in late June. Along with regional diversity in the epidemic loads, the outbreak has also shown differences in morbidity and death associated with age and gender. The government has stepped up its anti-dengue campaign in response to the crisis, including initiatives to increase public awareness and manage the mosquito population

UMPSA anjur Sesi Libat Urus Pembangunan Pelan Strategik UMPSA 2026-2028 bersama mahasiswa

PEKAN, 13 Jun 2024 – Pusat Pengurusan Strategik dan Kualiti (PPSK), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) telah mengadakan Sesi Libat Urus Pembangunan Pelan Strategik UMPSA 2026-2028 (UMPSA28) bersama Mahasiswa di DK3, Fakulti Teknologi Kejuruteraan Elektrik dan Elektronik (FTKEE) Pekan baru-baru ini

Artificial intelligence in anti-dengue drug development

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that affects millions of people worldwide. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being employed in the battle against it. AI is being used to analyse dengue immune repertoires, which may yield hitherto unheard-of insights into the complexities of dengue adaptive immunity, help in the development of novel treatments, and influence the creation of vaccines. This AI-driven strategy may contribute to the creation of dengue fever therapies that are more potent

Candida albicans skin infection in diabetic patients: An updated review of pathogenesis and management

Candida species, commensal residents of human skin, are recognized as the cause of cutaneous candidiasis across various body surfaces. Individuals with weakened immune systems, particularly those with immunosuppressive conditions, are significantly more susceptible to this infection. Diabetes mellitus, a major metabolic disorder, has emerged as a critical factor inducing immunosuppression, thereby facilitating Candida colonization and subsequent skin infections. This comprehensive review examines the prevalence of different types of Candida albicans-induced cutaneous candidiasis in diabetic patients. It explores the underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity and offers insights into recommended preventive measures and treatment strategies. Diabetes notably increases vulnerability to oral and oesophageal candidiasis. Additionally, it can precipitate vulvovaginal candidiasis in females, Candida balanitis in males, and diaper candidiasis in young children with diabetes. Diabetic individuals may also experience candidal infections on their nails, hands and feet. Notably, diabetes appears to be a risk factor for intertrigo syndrome in obese individuals and periodontal disorders in denture wearers. In conclusion, the intricate relationship between diabetes and cutaneous candidiasis necessitates a comprehensive understanding to strategize effective management planning. Further investigation and interdisciplinary collaborative efforts are crucial to address this multifaceted challenge and uncover novel approaches for the treatment, management and prevention of both health conditions, including the development of safer and more effective antifungal agents

Mathematical Modelling of Stingless Bee Honey Dewatering using Low-Temperature Vacuum Drying with Induced Nucleation Bubbling

ow-temperature vacuum drying with induced nucleation boiling (LTVD-NB) was developed to dewater heat-sensitive materials such as stingless bee honey (SBH). However, its performance can be further optimised to achieve an efficient LTVD-NB operation. The objective of this paper is to investigate the most fitting drying model for dewatering SBH and to develop a suitable mathematical drying model that can be used to predict and optimise dewatering SBH using LTVD-NB. Established experimental data was used to develop the mathematical model. The data result showed that the logarithmic model had the best fit for drying SBH using LTVD-NB as compared to other models based on the highest value of R 2 and the lowest Root mean square, RMSE and reduced chi-square, χ 2 values which are 0.999988, 7.87E-05, and 1.41E-08, respectively. The model was further regressed to obtain an optimised mathematical model to better predict an LTVD-NB operation to dewater SBH. In conclusion, an optimised drying model to describe the dewatering process of SBH using the LTVD-NB method was able to be developed based on the multiple regression analysis of the obtained experimental data. Therefore, the drying model can predict the efficiency of this process just by giving the temperature and surface roughness values as input information

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and its Affect Reduce Stress and Fatigue among Carrier Woman

This study examines mindfulness techniques in reducing fatigue which in turn reduces stress among working women. This study was conducted on 5 study participants who are career women and also have commitments at home. This study was conducted using qualitative case study techniques. The results of the study found that the main cause of the fatigue problem faced is not entirely from the workplace, but rather it starts from the individual and at home when a woman has a hypo emotional tank problem that causes them to feel unappreciated. The effect of this feeling causes a state of negative emotion to be brought to the workplace which ultimately causes increased stress and reduced work productivity. This study also found that, after undergoing a mindfulness session, most of them feel calm and able to think to value themselves which automatically causes the fatigue and stress they face to decrease

Tribological performance of novel modified calophyllum inophyllum nano-fluid from Pahang, Malaysia

This study aims to examine the performance of modified Calophyllum Inophyllum oil (MCIO) added with activated carbon made from the Calophyllum Inophyllum (CI) fruit shells as nano additives to enhance the oil performance as lubricants on friction and wear characteristics. This ecofriendly nanofluid is formulated by combining the nanoactivated carbon with MCIO using homogenization and sonication techniques. These nanofluid samples are subjected to physical analysis according to ASTM standards to determine their kinematic viscosity and viscosity index. A four-ball wear test is conducted for investigating the fluid's tribological performance. It was revealed that the formulation of MCIO containing 0.025 wt. % nano-activated carbon has the lowest coefficient of friction of 0.0551, with wear scar diameter of 724.2 µm and wear rate 5.91 × 10-7 mm. The novel MCIO with activated-carbon nano additive demonstrated superior lubricant performance compared to synthetic ester, neat MCIO, and MCIO + 0.025 wt. % NC based on the tribological performance shown

Properties and evaluation of functionalized mixed membrane adsorbents for the adsorption of vanillic acid from palm oil waste

Identifying factors that can improve the ability of mixed matrix membrane (MMM) adsorbents to isolate phenolic chemicals from palm oil waste is a major challenge. This study prepared a mixed matrix membrane with improved efficiency using a quaternary doping solution and a hydroxyapatite (HAp) filler and denoted as modified mixed matrix membrane (MMMHAp). Prior to use, HAp powder obtained from eggshells calcined at different temperatures was evaluated as an absorbent for the desired phenolic compounds. All the prepared HAp and MMMHAp powders were evaluated for their properties by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For this study, vanillic acid was selected as a phenolic chemical because it is widely used in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and food industries. The optimal adsorption and vanillic acid isolation from crude palm oil samples by MMMHAp occurred using an acetate buffer solution with a pH of 8. The data from the equilibrium adsorption study were also in agreement with the Freundlich isotherm, as the R2 value was 0.9900 suggesting heterogeneous adsorption of vanillic acid on the surface of MMMHAp. The kinetic adsorption study clearly shows a pseudo-second-order fit (R2=0.9992), suggesting that chemisorption occurs between the adsorbed substance and the adsorbent. The modified membrane (MMMHAp) has characteristics of its finger-like structures is more elongated and connected to the porous layer, indicating that the incorporation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles into the membrane enhances the adsorption of vanillic acid from real sample and has the highest adsorption capacity of 170.8 mg/g. These results show that this improved MMMHAp can be developed and used for waste utilization to obtain useful materials

Energizing the thermal conductivity and optical performance of salt hydrate phase change material using copper (II) oxide nano additives for sustainable thermal energy storage

Due to intermittent nature of solar energy, scientists and researchers are working to develop thermal energy storage (TES) systems for effectively use the solar energy. One promising avenue involves utilizing phase change materials (PCMs), but primary challenge lies in their limited thermal conductivity, which results in slower heat transfer rate and lower thermal energy storage density. The present research work demonstrates, to develop and explore a PCM composite by embedding salt hydrate and coper (II) oxide to enhance the heat transfer mechanism for potential utilization of TES material. The optical behavior, and thermal conductivity were analyzed by using Ultraviolet visible spectrum, and thermal property analyzer. The developed copper oxide dispersed PCM composite displayed the thermal conductivity was energized up to 71.5 % without affecting the other properties. Also, the optical absorptance was remarkably enhanced and the transmittance reduced to 87 %. Increasing the concentration of copper oxide nanoparticles in the salt hydrate PCM improves the optical absorptivity and heat conductivity. With these extraordinary abilities the nanocomposite could play a significant role in progress of sustainable TES with significance to contribute towards sustainable development goal of affordable and clean energy and climate change