Optical domain service differentiation using spectral-amplitude-coding

We have implemented a new service differentiation technique in the optical domain using a spectral-amplitude-coding (SAC) variant of optical code division multiple access (OCDMA). The newly developed code, named KS (Khazani–Syed) is compared mathematically with other codes which use similar techniques. In our proposal, multiple weights are used to support ‘triple-play’ services (audio, video and data) with different quality-of-service (QoS) requirements. The results characterizing the bit-error-rate (BER) with respect to the total number of active users show that KS offers a significantly improved performance over the previous reported techniques by accommodating additional 30 users with shorter code length and smaller code weight at BER of 10−9. In variable weight system, we have shown that KS codes with larger weight always have the best performance when other users of different weights are present in the system

A global threats overview for Numeniini populations: synthesising expert knowledge for a group of declining migratory birds

The Numeniini is a tribe of thirteen wader species (Scolopacidae, Charadriiformes) of which seven are near-threatened or globally threatened, including two critically endangered. To help inform conservation management and policy responses, we present the results of an expert assessment of the threats that members of this taxonomic group face across migratory flyways. Most threats are increasing in intensity, particularly in non-breeding areas, where habitat loss resulting from residential and commercial development, aquaculture, mining, transport, disturbance, problematic invasive species, pollution and climate change were regarded as having the greatest detrimental impact. Fewer threats (mining, disturbance, problematic native species and climate change) were identified as widely affecting breeding areas. Numeniini populations face the greatest number of non-breeding threats in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, especially those associated with coastal reclamation; related threats were also identified across the Central and Atlantic Americas, and East Atlantic flyways. Threats on the breeding grounds were greatest in Central and Atlantic Americas, East Atlantic and West Asian flyways. Three priority actions were associated with monitoring and research: to monitor breeding population trends (which for species breeding in remote areas may best be achieved through surveys at key non-breeding sites), to deploy tracking technologies to identify migratory connectivity, and to monitor land-cover change across breeding and non-breeding areas. Two priority actions were focused on conservation and policy responses: to identify and effectively protect key non-breeding sites across all flyways (particularly in the East Asian - Australasian Flyway), and to implement successful conservation interventions at a sufficient scale across human-dominated landscapes for species’ recovery to be achieved. If implemented urgently, these measures in combination have the potential to alter the current population declines of many Numeniini species and provide a template for the conservation of other groups of threatened species

Development of auditing in Malaysia: Legal, political and historical influences

This work investigates the role and contribution of external auditing as practised in the Malaysian society during the forty year period from independence in 1957 to just before the onset of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997.It applies the political economic theory introduced by Tinker (1980) and refined by Cooper & Sherer (1984), which focuses on the social relations aspects of professional activity rather than economic forces alone.In a case study format where qualitative data was gathered mainly from primary and secondary source materials, the study found that the function of auditing in the Malaysian society in most cases is devoid of any essence of mission; instead it is created, shaped and transformed by the pressures which give rise to its development over time.The largely insignificant role that it serves is intertwined within the contexts in which it operates

Sustainability performance model: a case study of pneumatic nipple hose connector

Sustainability concept was first introduced by Dr Harlem Brundtland in 1980’s promoting the need to preserve today’s mother nature for the sake of our future generations. There are three main evaluation criteria’s involved in sustainability approach namely economics, environmental and social. In consumer product manufacturing industry, the economics criteria are measured by consider the total manufacturing costs where it evaluates the economic sustainability of a company in a long term. The impact to the environment during manufacturing process can be used to measure the environment criteria. The social criteria are complicated to evaluate. But focusing at production line workers’ health who works at the production line can be used to evaluate the social criteria because it gives direct impact to their performance. In this paper, the sustainability concept is applied at the production line in the production of a pneumatic nipple hose connector. The evaluation criteria which has been considered are total manufacturing costs, environmental impact, ergonomics impact and also energy used for manufacturing. This study involves machine learning optimization by using neural network model which carried out in two stages. The first stage is to predict the results based on experimental works. The second stage is by using inversed neural network model to determine the optimum cutting parameters so that it can be used to manufacture the pneumatic nipple hose connector. Through these stages, optimization of the manufacturing procedures to produce pneumatic nipple hose connector already considered the criteria for sustainability

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Prescribing Patterns and Drug Cost Among Cardiovascular Patients in Hospital Universiti

A prevalence study was conducted, measuring drug cost and prescribing patterns of clinicians treating cardiovascular patients in UKM Hospital (HUKM). One Hundred and thirtyfive patients ’ case-notes were selected from the Case-Mix database of HUKM. The average and median number of drugs prescribed per patient was 7.56 ( ± 3.37) and 7.0 ( ± 3) respectively. Generic drug prescription rate was still low (45.2%). Significant relationship was observed between generic drug prescriptions with age of patients, types of wards and different levels of clinicians ’ training. Younger patients, admitted to Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and Cardiology Rehabilitation Ward (CRW) were more likely to be prescribed with branded drugs. Lower generic drugs prescription and higher cost of drugs were mostly practised by Consultants. CCU and CRW wards were the only predictor to having low generic drugs prescriptions. Ninety-nine percent of the total RM28,879.25 drug cost was used to purchase branded drugs. Mean drug cost for a patient is RM213.92 ( ± RM333.36) and median cost is RM102.46 (± RM240.51). Higher drug cost and its ’ predictors were patients with severity level II and III, length of stay of ≥6 days, number of drugs types of ≥7, generic drugs prescription rate <50% and patients admitted in CCU and CRW wards. This study is important for short and long-term decision-making, controlling of providers behaviour and resources

Withdrawn article: Simulation Realization of 2-D Wavelength/Time System Utilizing MDW Code for OCDMA System

Withdrawn article: This article has been withdrawn by the authors. Request approved by the editors and the publisher on January 25, 2018

Withdrawn article: Simulation Realization of 2-D Wavelength/Time System Utilizing MDW Code for OCDMA System

Withdrawn article: This article has been withdrawn by the authors. Request approved by the editors and the publisher on January 25, 2018

On the preparation of EPDM-g-MAH compatibilizer via melt-blending method

This paper presents an experimental investigation to determine the optimum composition of maleic anhydride (MAH) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator for ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer grafted MAH (EPDM-g-MAH) compatibilizer preparation, using response surface methodology (RSM) approach. EPDM-g-MAH was prepared in the laboratory scale by melt blending method using an internal mixer. For this study, the effects of MAH (2.50 – 7.50 wt.%) and DCP (0.10 – 0.30 wt.%) towards grafting efficiency was determined. Two level full factorial design of experiment (DOE) is applied to establish the relationship between these two independent factors of raw materials. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the optimization menu were utilized to decide the raw materials formulation with maximum grafting efficiency. Quantitative analysis based on infra-red (IR) spectral intensity supported by 1H-NMR spectral are used to propose for EPDM-g-MAH grafting mechanism. Standard calibration curve for quantity ratio plot was exponential with R2 = 89.19%. It was found that an optimum about 8.52% of MAF grafting efficiency has been yielded with DCP factor has contributed larger effect at 67.45% of contribution effect. Anhydride stretching of grafted C=O as confirmed by FTIR peak at 1713 cm-1 and 1770 – 1792 cm-1 has responsible for MAH grafting into EPDM rubber. Based on FTIR, 1H-NMR and 2D-COSY spectral analysis, reaction mechanism for EPDM-g-MAH grafting was successfully proposed with two possible termination steps

One-step conversion of lemongrass leaves hydrolysate to biovanillin by phanerochaete chrysosporium atcc 24725 in batch culture

One-step bioconversion of biovanillin using Phanerochaete chrysosporium ATCC 24725 with lemongrass leaves hydrolysates (LLH) was performed in batch culture. Initially, optimization of the lignocellulosic pretreatment practices using liquid hot-water with sodium bisulfite (0.5% w/v) towards the release of the ferulic acids was exhaustively investigated. The optimized results using central composite design recovered 0.750 ± 0.002 g/L of ferulic acid from the LLH. The bioconversion of biovanillin was grossly affected by the interactive effects of initial ferulic acid concentration, incubation temperature, incubation time and initial pH, and the biovanillin production was best determined at 0.5 g/L, 35 °C, 72 h, and 6 respectively. Bioconversion with the optimized condition revealed highest biovanillin production (93 ± 3 mg/L) with molar yield (23%) and acetic acid (12 ± 4 mg/L). Besides that, the use of the liquid hot water pretreatment approaches has clearly shows its effects on the respective untreated lemongrass leaves composition. Considerable alterations of the major lignocellulose contents were observed from the pretreated lemongrass leaves, which improved the cellulose content with 39%, but a decreased in the extractives, hemicellulose and lignin contents by 23, 29 and 46% were observed respectively. This proven the effectiveness of the pretreatment method in breaking the rigid structure of the lignocelluloses through increasing hemicellulose digestion, which instigates the disruption of lignin wall that resulted into the total loss of the lignocellulose structures. It further revealed that the lignin which serves as the shielding layer became fragmented and resulted to the cellulose exposure and accessible, thus eventually upsurges its contents. The design expert software ultimately revealed that all the optimization model terms were fit and significant statistically. Therefore, the one-step bioconversion using Phanerochaete chrysosporium ATCC 24725 with LLH as a source of ferulic acid epitomized a fabulous means of biovanillin production under the optimized conditions