Sea level change in the Malaysian seas from multi-satellite altimeter data

Seas from satellite altimetry data of the Topex, Jason-1, ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat missions. During the past two decades, satellite altimeter has provided its capability in measuring the global mean of sea level with precision better than 1 mm/year. Sea level data retrieval and reduction were carried out using Radar Altimeter Database System (RADS). In RADS data processing, the recently updated environmental and geophysical corrections were applied. Sixth 1° × 1° areas were chosen for the altimeter data comparison and to find the best ocean tide model for Malaysian Seas, where the altimeter tracks are nearby to tide gauge locations. Similarity in the pattern of sea level variations indicated good agreements between tide gauge data and altimeter data using FES2004 ocean tide model. It also showed that the altimeter data can be used to investigate sea level rise for Malaysian Seas. Here, sea level variations for four areas in the Malaysian Seas have been investigated using 15 years of altimeter data. The altimeter sea level time series revealed that since 1993, the mean sea level in Malaysian Seas has been rising at a rate of between 1.42 – 4.08 mm/year. This information is important to study alternative energy extraction and environmental issues related to flood investigations and global warming

FEA of SFRC three ribbed wall panel / Azrul Md Din

This finite element study was carried out to investigate the steel fibre reinforced concrete with three (3) ribbed wall (SFRC-3RW) panel containing reinforced wire mesh (BRC) subjected to axial and eccentric loading also its load bearing response behavior. A ribbed wall with steel reinforced was modeled with finite element analysis software LUSAS 14.7 using three dimensional modeling and non-linear finite element analysis. The SFRC-3RW panel was subjected to axial and eccentric loading to observe and investigate its buckling effect, the load bearing response behavior and compare with SFRC Plain Wall (PW). The SFRC-3RW and PW was using concrete grade 30 with 0.5% steel fibre content. The SFRC-3RW ultimate load bearing is 581 kN with maximum compression vertical and lateral displacement by 2.36 mm and 6.16 mm respectively compared to SFRC-PW with eccentric loading (SFRC-PWe) is 577 kN with maximum compression vertical and lateral displacement by 2.31 mm and 8.24 mm. The reduction in concrete volume and ultimate load capacity were 20% and 0.33% from SFRC-PWe which SFRC-3RW save the concrete amount and given higher load capacity compared to SFRCPWe. It can be concluded that the load bearing capacity for SFRC-3RW with BRC is acceptable and can withstand vertical pressure also reducing the amount of concrete usage

Sikap terhadap kemahiran pemikiran kritikal dan hubungannya dengan prestasi akademik dalam kalangan pelajar-pelajar UKM

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti pola sikap pemikiran kritis dalam kalangan mahasiswa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Seramai 200 orang mahasiswa UKM terlibat dalam kajian ini. Responden kajian yang terlibat dalam kajian terdiri daripada pelajar-pelajar tahun satu ijazah sarjana muda sehingga pelajar doktor falsafah UKM. Instrumen kajian yang digunakan untuk mengukur kajian berkaitan dengan Sikap Kemahiran Pemikiran Kritis ini ialah California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) iaitu terdiri daripada sikap-sikap pengadilan, sikap keterbukaan, sikap menghadapi cabaran, sikap objektiviti, sikap rasa ingin tahu, sikap sistematik, sikap analitik, sikap kematangan kognitif dan sikap ingin mencari kebenaran. Kajian adalah berbentuk kuantitatif menggunakan soal selidik. Kajian ini dianalisis menggunakan analisis ujian t, ujian korelasi, ujian regresi dan ujian Kruskaal Wallis. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa sikap-sikap pemikiran kritis yang paling dominan dalam kalangan mahasiswa UKM adalah sikap rasa ingin tahu. Selain itu, sikap pemikiran kritis mempunyai hubungan yang tidak signifikan pencapaian akademik mahasiswa di UKM. Justeru kajian yang lebih komprehensif dan meluas perlu dijalankan terutamanya yang melibatkan pemikiran kritis dalam kalangan pelajar universiti, matrikulasi mahupun pra universiti di Malaysia agar dapat membantu dalam mempercepatkan pembinaan modal insan kelas pertama yang berteraskan high order thinking menjelang Wawasan 2020

Adsorption of phosphate from domestic wastewater treatment plant effluent onto the laterites in a hydrodynamic column

High concentration of phosphate (PO4

Regional mean sea surface and mean dynamic topography models around Malaysian seas developed from 27 years of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry data

Contemporary Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2020 Mean Sea Surface (UTM20 MSS) and Mean Dynamic Topography (UTM20 MDT) models around Malaysian seas are introduced in this study. These regional models are computed via scrutinizing along-track sea surface height (SSH) points and specific interpolation methods. A 1.5-min resolution of UTM20 MSS is established by integrating 27 years of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry covering 1993–2019 and considering the 19-year moving average technique. The Exact Repeat Mission (ERM) collinear analysis, reduction of sea level variability of geodetic mission (GM) data, crossover adjustment, and data gridding are presented as part of the MSS computation. The UTM20 MDT is derived using a pointwise approach from the differences between UTM20 MSS and the local gravimetric geoid. UTM20 MSS and MDT reliability are validated with the latest Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Collecte Localisation Services (CLS) models along with coastal tide gauges. The findings presented that the UTM20, CLS15, and DTU18 MSS models exhibit good agreement. Besides, UTM20 MDT is also in good agreement with CLS18 and DTU15 MDT models with an accuracy of 5.1 and 5.5 cm, respectively. The results also indicate that UTM20 MDT statistically achieves better accuracy than global models compared to tide gauges. Meanwhile, the UTM20 MSS accuracy is within 7.5 cm. These outcomes prove that UTM20 MSS and MDT models yield significant improvement compared to the previous regional models developed by UTM, denoted as MSS1 and MSS2 in this study

The complaint handling procedure under the Malaysian dental act 1971 and dental regulations 1976: a comparative study with the United Kingdom and Hong Kong / Mohamad Asri Din, Lailihanim Mahmood, Md Alier Isa

The Malaysian Dental Council (MDC) as the national regulatory body regulates dental professional in Malaysia with the mission to protect the public by ensuring the highest professional standards and ethics in the practice of dentistry through the administration of the Dental Act 1971 and Dental Regulations 1976. MDC investigates all complaints by the patients or other persons against any dental practitioner starting with the preliminary inquiry before a Preliminary Investigation Committee followed by the hearing at the Dental Council and eventually to the High Court in case swhere the complainants are not satisfied with the judgement made by the Council. The research adopts the qualitative approach, whereby a comparative study between the Malaysian provisions in the Malaysian Dental Act 1971 and Malaysian Dental Regulations 1976, and the laws in the UK Dentists Act 1984 and the Hong Kong Dentists Registration Ordinance 1997 is made. Specific observations are made on the areas of Pre-Dental Council hearing procedures, the process of hearing at the Council level and the subsequent actions and punishments after the hearings. Based on these findings, it is noted that there are not much differences in terms of what is being practised in Malaysia with those in the UK and Hong Kong. However there are areas of improvements that could be implemented in Malaysia based on the study. This is reflected in the chapter on recommendation section of this study. This research is hoped to benefit the Malaysian Dental Council in improving and speeding up their backlog of cases, give fairness to complainants as well as dental practitioners and also put forth some recommendations for the amendment of irrelevant provisions of the Dental Act 1971 and Dental Regulations 1971

Elevated intraocular pressure in uveitis: effects on the retinal nerve fiber layer, clinical course and surgical outcome in adults and children

Intraocular Pressure (IOP) elevation is a pertinent risk factor for glaucoma in uveitis. Macula oedema and disc swelling may mask glaucoma assessment making glaucoma detection challenging. This thesis aimed to evaluate whether peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurement with the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) can be a conjunctive method. We reviewed records of 309 patients with uveitis and analysed the SD-OCT results. Mean RNFL was thicker in uveitic compared to normal eyes. RNFL thinning was seen in all except the temporal quadrant of glaucomatous but only in the inferior quadrant of hypertensive uveitic eyes. RNFL defect was detected in approximately 20% of hypertensive eyes without clinical signs of glaucoma. Older age, higher maximum IOP and uveitis-induced IOP elevation were risk factors for RNFL defect and glaucoma. Reduced RNFL thickness correlated with worsening Humphrey visual field (VF) mean deviation. A chart review of 103 children with non-Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-related uveitis revealed IOP elevation occurred in approximately 40% of children, steroid-induced in 35% of eyes with nearly 70% of them being high responders. Chronic uveitis was a strong risk factor for IOP elevation and glaucoma. The RNFL was thicker in uveitic compared to normal eyes. We found no RNFL thinning in hypertensive but significant thinning only in the inferior quadrant of glaucomatous uveitic eyes. The outcome of the second compared to the first eyes of 30 patients with bilateral uveitis and raised IOP who underwent bilateral glaucoma surgery was assessed. We postulated the second eyes would suffer more from oral acetazolamide omission following early phases of surgery. The surgical success rates were comparable with no significant visual acuity progression. Although the survival rate of the cup-to-disc ratio progression was worse in the second eye within the first 5 postoperative years, no significant difference was detected in the Humphrey VF progression

Performance assessment of cassava peel starch and alum as dual coagulant for turbidity removal in dam water

The agricultural and food processing industries generate a significant portion of residues, refuse and waste. Conversion of these wastes into useful end product would be beneficial not only to the economy but also the environment as it reducing the solid waste disposal problem. The present study was aimed to investigate the performance of cassava peel starch (CPS) extracted from cassava peel waste in combination with alum to act as dual coagulant for turbidity removal in raw water from Sembrong dam. Comparative studies by employing both alum and CPS as primary coagulant using several series of Jar test were also conducted. Results showed that the usage of alum-CPS as dual coagulant not only enhanced the turbidity removal with maximum achievement up to 91.47%, but also significantly improve the coagulation process by reducing both alum dosage and settling time up to 50% which indicates broad prospects to be further developed as emerging green coagulant

Effect on Heat Treatment and Doping of Cubic NaZn13-Type La0.7Pr0.3(Fe,Si)13 for Magnetic Refrigerator Application

Soft ferromagnetic cubic NaZn13-type La0.7Pr0.3Fe11.4Si1.6 has turned out to be a standout amongst the most fascinating compounds for investigating substantial magnetocaloric effect (MCE) on the grounds that the attractive properties of this compound shows large enough spontaneous magnetization for applications, strongly doping dependent, and as well as delicate soft ferromagnetism. These impacts can be attributed to the itinerant electron metamagnetic (IEM) transition especially around the first-order magnetic transition region. However, this compound is difficult to frame by the basic cementing process because of the inherent deficiency of the peritectic response, Υ-Fe + La → La(Fe,Si)13(τ1a), which frequently brings about a blended microstructure of α-Fe + La(Fe,Si)13(τ1a) + LaFeSi(τ4). Additionally, dependability of La(FexSi1−x)13 is no middle-of-the-road stage and common solvency amongst Fe and La in the Fe-La framework as a reality is represented by response dispersion as indicated by magnetic and electronic states’ contribution. From this point of view, the structure, attractive properties and MCE of this compound have been talked about in detail as indicated by various temperatures and times of the annealing treatment. In addition, efficiently contemplating on the doping impact from various concentrations of transition metal elements such as Copper (Cu) and Chromium (Cr) on Iron (Fe) in the La0.7Pr0.3Fe11.4Si1.6 compound is likewise discussed

Design of a cell selection mechanism to mitigate interference for cell-edge macro users in femto-macro heterogeneous network

The Femto-Macro heterogeneous network is a promising solution to improve the network capacity and coverage in mobile network. However interference may rise due to femtocell deployment nearby to macro user equipment (MUE) within macrocell network coverage. Femtocell offers main priority in resource allocation to its subscribed femto user equipment (FUE) rather than unsubscribed MUE. MUEs will suffer severe interference when they are placed near or within the femtocell area range especially at the cell edge. This phenomenon occurs due to the distance is far from its serving macro base station (MBS) to receive good signal strength. This paper presents a design of cell selection scheme for cell-edge MUE to select an optimal femto base station (FBS) as its primary serving cell in physical resource block allocation. In this study, the proposed cell selection consists of four main elements: measuring the closest FBS distance, Signal to Interference-plus-Noise-Ratio (SINR), physical resource block (PRB) availability and node density level for the selected base station. The main goal is to ensure cell-edge MUE has priority fairly with FUE in physical resource block allocation per user bandwidth demand to mitigate interference. Hence, the cell-edge MUE has good experienced on receiving an adequate user data rate to improve higher network throughput