Effect of Glycidyl Methacrylate on Water Absorption Properties of Sago Hampas Biocomposite

This study examines the water absorption of sago hampas biocomposite utilizing glycidyl methacrylate as its matrix. Composites were fabricated with 25, 30, 40 wt% sago hampas content and another sample of pure sago hampas using hydraulics hot press machine. The water absorption properties of composites with different sago hampas composition were investigated according to Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials of ASTM D570. Water absorption of pure sago hampas composite have the highest average water absorption percentage with 59.1 wt% as compared to the lowest average water absorption percentage recorded for 30 wt% sago hampas content biocomposite with 16.8%. However sago hampas loading was increased resulting in the increased in average water absorption on biocomposite for 40 wt% sago hampas content which is 33.1%

Anti-urolithiatic terpenoid compound from plantago major linn. (Ekor Anjing)(Aktiviti anti-urolitiatik sebatian “terpenoid” daripada Plantago major Linn. (Ekor Anjing))

The aim of this study was to determine the inhibition effects of the terpenoid of Plantago major on calcium oxalate crystals in vitro and to compare the effects of Plantago major with clinically used drugs like zyloric and potassium citrate for the treatment of urinary stone. Modified Schneider slide gel method was used for in vitro study and crystals formed were measured by Image Analyser System (Leica) after 24 h of treatment. The active compound in the methanol extract of Plantago major was isolated by bioassay - guided fractionation & isolation method. Dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) was used as the negative control and zyloric and potassium citrate were used as positive controls. The results showed that crude methanol extract of Plantago major contained the active compound terpenoid. Terpenoid, zyloric and potassium citrate at concentrations in the range of (100 μg/ml - 250 μg/ml) significantly inhibited the area of crystal formation in comparison to the negative control after 24 h (p<0.001). The Zyloric and terpenoid of Plantago major in the concentrations of (100 μg/mL-250 μg/mL) inhibited the sizes of crystals significantly (p<0.05). Potassium citrate was more effective, than terpenoid of Plantago major in inhibiting the size of crystals at two concentrations i.e 100 μg/mL and 150 μg/mL respectively (p< 0.05). However the IC50 values for terpenoid of Plantago major, potassium citrate and zyloric were 250 μg/mL, 300 μg/mL and 550 μg/mL, respectively. The inhibition effect of the terpenoid of Plantago major extract on crystal size was much better than Zyloric and potassium citrate

Mimosine Toxicity in Leucaena Biomass: A Hurdle Impeding Maximum use for Bioproducts and Bioenergy

Leucaena biomass could serve as a new commodity for bio energy production. It is well established as a feedstock for animal husbandry, due to its nutrient content and lower cost. However, the existence of mimosine caused loss of hair among ruminants. This paper provides a short review of current uses of Leucaena, from agriculture to bio energy. In the next section, the techniques to remove Leucaena toxicity caused by the toxic non-protein amino acid mimosine will be discussed. A common mimosine inactivation technique adopted for animal rations is dosage-dependent on the Leucaena portion and inclusion of iodine, iron, copper or sulphate in the diet. However, this technique is inefficient. Other approaches such as enzymes from ruminal microbes or soil bacteria and low-mimosine Leucaena clones have become new strategies to overcome this problem, although the toxicity is reduced it still can be seen. Future research is needed to if possible fully eliminate the toxicity and realize the goal of Leucaena utilization to produce both bio products and bio energy

Nutrient elements of different agricultural wastes from vermicomposting activity

Vermicomposting using the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus was conducted for 70 days subsequent to 10 days of pre-composting under glasshouse conditions. Five treatments were used as feed materials with 5 replicates per treatment: T 1 : goat manure, T 2 : paddy straw, T 3 : spent mushroom paddy straw compost, T 4 : sawdust and T 5 : spent mushroom sawdust compost. The treatments were placed in a micro-cosm or worm bin plastic container (360 mm 280 mm 200 mm). The effectiveness of vermicomposting was evaluated through the increment of nutrient elements contained in the vermicompost, growth (biomass weight) and reproduction (total numbers) of earthworms, as a percentage, at the end of the process. The increment of macronutrients in the vermicompost from each treatment was high, especially of organic carbon (C) in T 1 and T 4 , and nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) in T 3 . Regarding micronutrients, copper (Cu) had the highest concentration in T 2 and zinc (Zn) in T 1 and T 2 . Therefore, the best vermicompost as a soil fertilizer was T 3 , which showed the highest increment and final content of N (+150.73, 1.50), P (+387.75, 1.06) and K (+886.09, 2.05). There was no significant difference between the number and weight of earthworms among the 5 treatments (P > 0.05). A C: N ratio < 20 indicates the degree of compost maturity and post-vermicomposting, as noted for T 1 and T 3 ; T 1 had the lowest C: N ratio (9.86). Based on our findings, the nutritive value of our vermicompost developed from selected agricultural wastes can be qualitatively assessed as a value-added material against fertilizers or soil stabilizers

The dynamics of daylighting at a residential college building with the internal courtyard arrangement

Dayasari residential college building was designed with the internal courtyard that allows for numerous implementations of bioclimatic design strategies, especially on daylighting. The field measurement was conducted at eight unoccupied student rooms, selected as samples to represent ten scenarios and orientations that concerned with the level of radiation and penetration of sunlight. This study reveals the contribution of the internal courtyard in the residential college which allows the daylight penetration at the corridor areas and interior of the rooms through the transom over the entrance door, up to ten hours daily. Different amounts of daylight were measured in specific room scenarios to suggest on the most comfortable indoor living space. The recorded mean value for indoor varied from 37 to 286 lux, while in the corridor area 192 to 3,848 lux. However, the use of the large overhangs over the windows, wall openings in the room and trees with large canopy in the landscape setting should critically justify when the adequacy of daylight was drastically reduced in certain rooms

Vermicomposting of sewage sludge by lumbricus rubellus using spent mushroom compost as feed material: effect on concentration of heavy metals

Vermicomposting of sewage sludge (SS) using spent mushroom compost from Pleurotus sajor-caju as feed material was conducted to determine the effect on the concentration of heavy metals, namely Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Previous studies have reported the feasibility of brandling worms, Eisenia foetida, for vermicomposting SS, whereas we conducted vermicomposting by employing red worms, Lumbricus rubellus, with a combination of different percentages of SS and spent mushroom compost (SMC) for 70 days subsequent to 21 days of precomposting. The vermicompost produced in treatments with a low percentage of SS were fine in texture, dark in colour and odourless in contrast to the initial physical characteristics. Results indicate that growth in earthworm numbers and biomass gain was maximum at 25 : 75 (T D) of SS : SMC compared to other treatments with 5 and 8- fold increases, respectively. The heavy metals contained in vermicompost were 0.25 � 11.57-fold higher than the initial concentration due to mineralization and excretion of non-accumulated heavy metals existent in the earthworms' gut, which were present prior to treatments. Even so, the concentration was below the limits set by EU and US biosolid compost standards and safe to be utilized as a biofertilizer and soil conditioner. © The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Springer 2011

2D and 3D complexity analysis on MRI images using fractal dimension

The brain, which is the most complex structure in the human body, has attracted attention of many researchers to study the possible fractal analysis application upon it. Current interest is seen directed more towards the utilization of complexity analysis as measured by fractal dimension in determining the pathologies effect and degenerative factor on the brain structure volume. In this paper, we used two boxcounting methods: average 2D Fractal Dimension and 3D Fractal Dimension. 47 subjects (19 males, 28 females), aged ranging from 21 to 25 years, were recruited. Brain MRI images were acquired by using 3T MRI system. The images were then thresholded according to Otsu’s method. The processed images were then calculated using fractal analysis, and the values obtained were statistically evaluated using Pearson’s correlation test (r2 = -0.106, p = 0.477). In conclusion, no correlation was seen between average 2D FD and 3D FD

Effect of KOH concentration in the gel polymer electrolyte for direct borohydride fuel cell

The performance of a direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) based on a polyacrylamide (PAAm) gel polymer electrolyte system is investigated at different electrolyte concentrations. The DBFC, constructed using 2M sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as the fuel and potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution gelled with PAAm as the electrolytes yield the highest electrical conductivity of 2.73 x 10-1 S cm-1 at 6M KOH. The optimized composition, PAAm + 2M NaBH4 + 6M KOH, and the selected composition, PAAm + 2M NaBH4 + 3M KOH are then used in preparing the cells. Open-circuit voltages for fuel cells is about 0.85-0.92 V, and the discharge characteristic produce discharge capacities of about 257.12-273.12 mAh cm-2 for cells with PAAm-6M KOH. Current-voltage and current density-power density plots and internal resistance for both cells are almost the same. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 201