Evaluation of the Properties of 4-Year Old Rubberwood Clones Rrim 2000 Series for Particleboard Manufacture

With drastic depleting rubberwood supply, the Lembaga Getah Malaysia (LGM) has identified new clones of rubber trees that are expected to produce not solely latex but also timber. Among these clones, several clones from RRIM 2000 series were found to be fast growing with high yield of latex, high growth vigor, good growth form and are very suitable for timber production, particularly for the biocomposite industries. In this study, particleboards were manufactured from rubber tree clones of RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025 which are also categorized as Latex Timber Clone (LTC). The properties of these particleboards were compared with those made from the currently planted tree clone ; PB 260. All clones from RRIM 2000 series were planted at 1000-1100 trees planting density and harvested for this study at 4 year-old. The resin used was E1-grade urea formaldehyde (UF) and the target density of the particleboard was 700 kgm-3. The basic and adhesion properties of these woods were evaluated and discussed in relation to the board performance i.e. physical and mechanical properties, and dimensional stability. These properties were determined according to Japanese Industrial Standard for Particleboard (JIS A 5908-2003). Among the clones studied, RRIM 2002 showed the best overall wood basic properties and board performance, which are comparable to or better than those of matured clone PB 260. The 25-year old PB 260 gives the highest specific gravity (0.601), lowest moisture content (70%), longer fibre length (1.3 mm) and thickest fibre wall thickness (6.2 μm). Clone RRIM 2002 gives comparable wood basic properties except for specific gravity (0.570), higher wood moisture content (94%) relatively longer fibre length (1.4 mm) and thicker fibre wall (5.5 μm). Except for specific gravity, the other two clones give poorer overall wood properties particularly the RRIM 2025. Both clones, however, produced relatively high specific gravity, 0.589 and 0.582 for RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025. The adhesion properties of all 4-year old clones show almost similar properties. For the particle analysis, PB 260 gives the highest acceptable particle distribution (63.5%), whilst RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025 had respectively, 56.8%, 57.9%, 58.3%. The particleboards of PB 260, RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 recorded similar modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 2156 Nmm-2, 2145 Nmm-2, and 2122 Nmm-2, respectively, which were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than that of RRIM 2025 board (1931 Nmm-2). The board’s strength (MOR) of clones RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020, RRIM 2025 and PB 260 were 20.4 Nmm-2, 19.9 Nmm-2, 18.0 Nmm-2 and 21.0 Nmm-2, respectively. The internal bond (IB) of all of the boards ranged from 1.24 Nmm-2 to 1.49 Nmm-2, and were not significantly different. Among the four rubber tree clones, PB 260 board was the most stable as indicated by the low values in thickness swelling (RRIM 2002, 22.4 %; RRIM 2020, 21.2 %; RRIM 2025, 19.7 % and PB260, 18.1 %). No significant difference in water absorption of particleboard was found for all clones studied. The overall results indicate that 4-year old rubberwood clones can be used as raw material for particleboard manufacture where clone RRIM 2002 as the most suitable clone as it produced comparable particleboard properties with matured clone particleboard

KITAB JAWI DAN KARYA SAINS: WACANA KETAMADUNAN DAN JATI DIRI ORANG MELAYU

Kitab Jawi and the Malay Archipelago is a topic which is synonymous with the question of identity and civilization of the Malay community. Thus it has managed to assimilate the strength and empowering excellence of the Malay ummah as early as the 14th century when Ibn Battuta, a traveler from Morocco mentioned in his memoirs entitled ' al - Rihlah ' 1345M that he had stopped at Pasai under the reign of Sultan Malik al – Zahir, a pious and righteous sultan who hold strongly to the Shafi'i madhhab. The Islamic scholars played their roles to disseminate the religion of Islam to the local communities making the Kitab Jawi as the main vehicle. The role of the Kitab Jawi is not only related to the religious aspects but included science and technology. As an example, mathematics ans astronomy in Islam are closely related to the content in al-Qur’an. Among the Malay scholars who were expert in this field were Syeikh Ahmad al-Fathani, Syeikh Tahir Jalaluddin and Syeikh Ahmad al- Minangkabau

Pendidikan awal melayu Pulau Pinang: wacana ketamadunan dan jati diri.

Tamadun lahir secara lumrahnya apabila sesautu bangsa mencapai pengungkapan tinggi di dalam pelbagai bidang kehidupan, terutamanya dari aspek tradisi keintelektualan yang terungkai melalui dominasi keagungan ilmu, keluhuran budaya dan ketinggian tamadunnya. Dalam konteks ini, pendidikan merupakan domain yang penting malah penentu kepada ketiga-tiga domain di atas. Ia bertambah penting apabila dilihat dari pespektif kedudukan Alam Me1ayu dan pertembungannya dengan tamadun Timur dan Barat. Faktor keserasian dan keakraban tamadun Melayu dengan tamadun Islam juga telah berupaya menjulang tamadun dan bangsa Melayu ke persada dunia ketamadunan serantau dan antarabangsa. Justeru perjuangan dan perkembangan Islam dan tamadunnya selama 600 tahun di rantau ini begitu sinonim dengan perjuangan dan perkembangan kebudayaan dan tamadun Melayu

Role of Kitab Jawi in the development of Islamic thought in the Malay Archipelago with special reference to Umm al-Barāhīn and the writings on the twenty attributes

This thesis has three major objectives which are inter-related. Firstly, it investigates some important aspects of the traditional history of the Malay Archipelago, the early development of Islamic thought, culture and the religious traditions which is represented by the Kitab Jawi. The history and development of the Kitab Jawi and its contribution to the traditional Islamic heritage are explored. This development was accompanied by the emergence of traditional scholars ('ulamā') such as Nūr al-Dīn al-Rānīrī (d. 1666, Acheh), Shams al-Dīn al-Sumatrānī (d. 1630, Sumatra), 'Abd al-Ṣamad al-Falembānī (d. 1764, Palembang), Raja 'Alī al-Hājī (d. 1784, Johor-Riau), Muḥammad Arshad al-Banjārī (b. 1812, Banjarmasin), Dā'ūd b. 'Abd Allah b Idrīs al-Faṭānī (d. 1840, Patani), 'Abd al-Ṣamad b Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ (Tuan Tabal) (d. 1840, Kelantan), Sayyid 'Uthmān b Yaḥyā al-Betāwī (d. 1886, Batavia or Jakarta), and their contribution to the Kitab Jawi tradition is examined in detail. Secondly, the theological discussion among the traditional scholars became a dominant factor in intellectual circles as a result of the popularity of and high demand for theological disciplines among the masses, the high position accorded to these scholars and their close relationship with the sultans or rajas. Among the disciplines of theology is the 'ilm al-Tauḥīd (the Unity of Allah) in which Sanūsī's Umm al-Barāhīn played a very vital role. The most notable feature of this creed is the teaching of Sifat Dua Puluh (the Twenty Attributes of Allah) as the result of which this teaching became the basic religious teaching among the people of the Malay Archipelago. The present study attempts to show how strong the effects of this teaching have been and how it has survived through the centuries. Finally, an annotated translation of a Jawi text of Umm al-Barāhīn is followed by a detailed analysis of the text in relation to the Twenty Attributes. A brief conclusion attempts to draw these strands together and to assess their importance for Islam in the Malay Archipelago

UMM AL-BARAHIN AND ITS RELATION WITH MALAY JAWI BOOKS

Umm al-Barahin is a theology masterpiece that delivers a big impact on Malay Jawi Books writing. The book has been fundamental in learning and discussing the attributes of Allah in Malay world. This article found that there are many works of adaption and translation based on Umm al-Barahin produced by Malay traditional scholars. The sustainability of teaching based on this books until now are really amazing. Malay Jawi Books are also a sign of the Islamic scientific tradition that developed in Malay world. The process are rooted on translation and adaptation activities from the Arabic masterpiece to Malay language in Jawi writing

Retting process of some bast plant fibres and its effect on fibre quality : a review.

Retting is the main challenge faced during the processing of bast plants for the production of long fibre. The traditional methods for separating the long bast fibres are by dew and water retting. Both methods require 14 to 28 days to degrade the pectic materials, hemicellulose, and lignin. Even though the fibres produced from water retting can be of high quality, the long duration and polluted water have made this method less attractive. A number of other alternative methods such as mechanical decortication, chemical, heat, and enzymatic treatments have been reported for this purpose with mixed findings. This paper reviews different types of retting processes used for bast plants such as hemp, jute, flax, and kenaf, with an emphasis on kenaf. Amongst the bast fibre crops, kenaf apparently has some advantages such as lower cost of production, higher fibre yields, and greater flexibility as an agricultural resource, over the other bast fibres. The fibres produced from kenaf using chemical retting processes are much cleaner but low in tensile strength. Enzymatic retting has apparent advantages over other retting processes by having significantly shorter retting time and acceptable quality fibres, but it is quite expensive

Reversible splenial lesion syndrome in neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Background: Reversible focal lesions in the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC) or reversible splenial lesion syndrome are rare and little is known about their pathophysiology. Case summary: The authors describe a case of a 65-year-old female who presented with fever, abnormal behaviour and mild hypernatremia. She was on neuropsychiatric treatment for bipolar disorder but denied any history of seizure. After an extensive workout to exclude infection, a clinical diagnosis of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) was made. Initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed a lesion in the SCC characterized by high-signal intensity on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences with reduced signal intensity on T1-weighted sequence. Diffuse weighted imaging (DWI) showed restricted diffusion. There was no enhancement following Gadolinium administration. The follow-up MRI 8 weeks later showed complete resolution of the SCC lesion. Conclusion: While the pathophysiology of reversible SCC lesions is still unclear, this case highlights the need to consider NMS in the differential diagnosis of reversible splenial lesion of the corpus callosum

Effects of polymorph transformation via mercerisation on microcrystalline cellulose fibres and isolation of nanocrystalline cellulose fibres

Cellulose I can be irreversible transformed into cellulose II via mercerisation or regeneration treatments. In the past few decades, mercerisation was used mainly to improve fibre properties for textile industries. A few studies have focused on the effects of mercerisation treatment on the cellulose polymorph itself and after it was downscaled to nanosize. This study aims to characterise the micro size crystalline cellulose after complete polymorph conversion via mercerisation technique and investigate its effects on isolation to nanosize crystalline cellulose. A microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was purchased and converted into cellulose II via mercerisation technique. Sulphuric acid hydrolysis was carried-out to produce nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). The MCC and NCC of different polymorphs were then characterised and analysed for its crystallography, morphology, particles size distribution and thermal stability using wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), electron microscopes, dynamic light scattering analyser and thermogravimetric analyser, respectively. Both MCC and NCC fibres showed complete conversion of cellulose I to cellulose II and decrement of crystallinity index (CI). Electron micrographs revealed that both cellulose II polymorph fibres (MCC II and NCC II) were morphological affected. The analysis of size distribution and dimension measurement confirmed that mercerisation treatment causing increment in fibre diameter and shortened length. The thermal stability of both cellulose II polymorph fibres (MCC II and NCC II) was also found to be improved

The Spetzler-Martin grading system and management of patients with intracranial Arteriovenous malformation in a tertiary referral hospital

Introduction: An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal collection of blood vessels in which arterial blood flows directly into the draining vein without the normal interposed capillaries. The Spetzler-Martin grading system has been widely accepted worldwide to estimate the pretreatment risks and predict the outcome of patients with intracranial AVM. In Malaysia, we still do not have the baseline data of this grading system. Methods: A total of 33 patients from a tertiary referral hospital diagnosed with intracranial AVM based on neuroimaging findings over a 4-year period were studied. Medical records were traced and neuroimaging findings were analysed. The AVMs were graded according to the Spetzler-Martin grading system and Fisher’s exact test was used to assess statistical difference between the grades of the AVM and management plan for the patients. Results: Four patients were graded as Grade 1, 9 patients as Grade II, 10 patients as Grade III, 6 patients as Grade IV and 4 patients as Grade V. Ten patients were treated conservatively; six patients underwent surgery and embolisation respectively. Four patients underwent radiosurgery and a combination of embolisation while surgery and radiosurgery were given to 5 patients and 2 patients respectively. Statistically significant difference (p=0.016) was found between the Spetzler-Martin grading system and the management of intracranial AVMs. Conclusion: The management decision was not made based on the grading of the AVMs. It is recommended that all AVM patients be routinely graded according to this system prior to treatment. Keywords: Intracranial arteriovenous malformation

Tuberculous meningitis: neuroimaging features, clinical staging and outcome

Forty-two patients diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis in Kuala Lumpur Hospital based on clinical criteria, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and response to antituberculous treatment over a seven year period were included in this study. Relevant information was obtained from pa-tients’ medical case notes and neuroimaging findings were evaluated. The clinical presentation of pa-tients was staged according to Medical Research Council for tuberculous meningitis. Fisher’s Exact Test was used to determine the correlation between the neuroimaging features, clinical staging and outcome of patients. 52.4% of patients had stage 2 disease, 28.6% stage 3 and the remainder stage1 disease. 95.2% of patients had various neuroimaging abnormalities and only 4.8% had normalneuroimaging findings. The commonest neuroimaging findings were hydrocephalus and meningealenhancement. 47.6% of patients survived without any complication. 23.8% developed morbidity ei-ther with minor or major neurological deficit and 28.6% had died at the end of the study period.Among patients with negative neuroimaging findings, one died and another one survived withoutany complication. Among patients with abnormal neuroimaging findings, 25% developed morbidity,27.5% died and 47.5% survived without complication. The only neuroimaging feature significantlycorrelated with clinical outcome was the presence of hydrocephalus. Therefore, hydrocephalus isimportant in the prognosis of the disease and should be considered an indicator of poor clinical out-come. There was no significant correlation between clinical staging and clinical outcome, nor wasthere a significant correlation between clinical staging and individual neuroimaging feature