Outernet: The Development of 1U CubeSat Platforms to Enable Low-Cost Global Data Provision

The Outernet constellation aims to revolutionize telecommunications provision by offering a low-cost, mass-producible alternative to traditional infrastructure. Highly-capable 1U CubeSats, manufactured by Clyde Space for Outernet Inc., will provide the solution. The UK Space Agency have part-funded development of three platforms, due to be launched in Q3 2016, as an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) of the full Outernet concept. These initial platforms are intended to be a precursor to a 200-satellite constellation, and will test much of the functionality of the full constellation, which aims to provide low data-rate global broadcasting specifically for remote regions of the World. Each spacecraft will receive data streams from a network of ground stations and the data transmitted to the user\u27s hand-held devices on the ground. Traditional telecommunications platforms typically have a mass of the order of a few tonnes, cost several million dollars and take a number of years to develop. Therefore, the development of 1U CubeSats with the ability to distribute information across a constellation and subsequently transmit it to receivers is not trivial. Some of the challenges of the Outernet CubeSats are: power generation, volume, high duty cycle operation and satellite batch production techniques. To overcome these challenges, the platforms will incorporate a number of state-of-the-art Clyde Space subsystems. Power will be provided by a bespoke version of the standard 1U solar panels consisting of body mounted and deployable panels to maximise power generation. These solar panels will also host coarse sun sensors, capable of providing illumination information, along with temperature sensors. Power conditioning will be performed using an off-the-shelf next-generation Clyde Space electric power system with an integrated 20Wh battery. Outernet platforms will also include the newly developed onboard computer which will carry out all platform and mission control and management and will provide the on-board storage necessary for payload operations. The attitude determination and control system will be the Clyde Space motherboard with standard on-board sensors and will interface to the solar panel embedded magnetorquers, coarse and fine sun sensors. A modified VHF/UHF transceiver (VUTRX) will be the primary transceiver for telecommand, telemetry, and payload data. The VUTRX will provide a VHF uplink and UHF downlink at nominal rates of 9600bps using modified CCSDS packets and a resilient broadcast protocol. The bespoke 1U CubeSat structure has also been designed with the necessary interface and aperture cut-outs to satisfy the Outernet subsystem requirements. The Outernet IOD mission will allow understanding of the platform from subsystem level to full operation (provision of data to the fixed Earth station and pick up by a simple receiver at a different location) to extrapolate the expected performance of a future full Outernet constellation. The completeness of the received data, the effect of missing packets and the end to end reliability will be assessed. This paper provides an overview of the ambitious Outernet IOD mission where Clyde Space will push the boundaries of platform development to enable Outernet to pursue its goal of offering a near continuous broadcast of humanitarian data to those most in need

PERFORMANCE OF JAVELIN THROW AMONG BACHELOR OF EDUCATION STUDENTS

The javelin throw sport is one of the activities to be taught to Bachelor of Education (Science Education) students in the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. Purpose: The purpose of this research was to identify the performance of javelin throw among Bachelor of Education (Science Education) students. Method: This research used the one-short case study design. The sample involved was 48 people (male = 12; female = 36). Before taking the javelin throw test, all students had undergone javelin throw exercises once a week. Javelin throw practices were conducted for 4 weeks only. On Week 5, male and female students took the javelin throw test. Result: For male students, there were 10.42% who achieved Very Low javelin throw distance score, 8.3% achieved Low javelin throw distance score, 2.08% achieved Quite High javelin throw distance score, and 4.1% achieved Very High javelin throw distance score. Whereas for female students, 29.1% achieved Very Low javelin throw distance score, 37.5% achieved Low javelin throw distance score, 8.33% achieved Quite High javelin throw distance score, and 6.25% achieved Very High javelin throw distance score. In overall, out of 48 students, only 8.33% achieved Quite High javelin throw distance score and 6.25% achieved Very High javelin throw distance score. The results of this study showed that the percentage of students with Low javelin throw distance score is higher than the percentage of students with High javelin throw distance score. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that the performance of javelin throw among Bachelor of Education (Science Education) students needs to be enhanced by increasing the number of training sessions per week. Besides, the use of more effective javelin throw technique should be emphasized.  Article visualizations

Generating of cotidal dataset by spatial interpolation techniques / Khadijah Sahdan, Syed Ahmad Qusoiri Syed Abdul Karim and Othman Mohd Yusof

Tidal observation is the main requirement in depth reduction to a specific vertical datum thus ensuring safe navigation prerequisite is met. The determination of water level (e.g. highest astronomical tide and mean sea level) can be achieved through tidal analysis which is crucial for the application of hydrographic and sustainable coastal development. Due to severity of the site conditions and resource constrains, not all areas can be represented just by one tidal station dataset. Significance changes in tidal characteristic from one location to another limit the application of single tide station to represent an entire observed area. Previously, it was recommended that series of tide stations were erected to properly represent and justify the reliability of the tidal data over the entire observed area. However, this approach requires great resources in providing multiple tide stations. Therefore an alternative approach in the estimation of tidal data; which is the concept of cotidal data needs to be introduced in order to provide tidal dataset. This is due to the fact that cotidal datasets does not require physical tide gauge to be positioned at a location as well as the need for observing tide data for a long period of time. Interpolation techniques are required in cotidal approach by analysing tidal data from multiple tide station networks. Typically, a number of real observed tidal data are used in generating the cotidal data. However, to further the cost-effective measures, real observed tidal data were being replaced with predicted tidal data published by Malaysian Navy. Therefore, this paper evaluates the reliability of cotidal data generated through predicted tides instead of real observed tide. A comparative study of the tide levels between real observed tides against cotidal data through statistical analysis was conducted. Three interpolation techniques were carried out at two locations of the coastal of Peninsular Malaysia as testing grounds. Final analysis will indicate the best interpolation method based on acceptable limits drawn by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). The application of cotidal will definitely save in terms of time; cost and effort to acquire reliable tide information especially for hydrographic and sustainable coastal development

Knowledge of emergency contraception among women of childbearing age at a teaching hospital of Karachi

OBJECTIVES: To assess knowledge and attitudes about Emergency Contraception among women of childbearing age in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: A questionnaire based survey was conducted on 400 married women, attending the family practice clinics at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from July to December 2006. Questionnaire was administered to women at the family practice clinic-seeking level of knowledge of emergency contraception (EC) and attitudes towards its use, Ethical requirements of informed consent and confidentiality were ensured Data was entered into Epi data and analyzed in SPSS.RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of women were not aware of EC. 83% were housewives. Only a small number (11.5%) ever used EC to prevent pregnancy, out of those, the correct timing of effectiveness of post-coital pill was known to only 40% of women while none of these women were aware of the existence of Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) insertion as an option for EC About 50% of women identified general practitioners or family medicine clinics as their main sources of knowledge about EC. Increased advertising was considered desirable by 72% while 37% considered over the counter availability of EC pill desirable and only 36% of women were uncomfortable to use EC because of religious reasons. CONCLUSION: EC has a potential to offer women an important option for fertility control. Lack of women\u27s knowledge about EC use and availability may account in part for its limited use. There is a need to improve women\u27s education about EC. The primary health care providers can play a major role in informing their patients about emergency contraception

Transformasi pengajian tinggi aliran Islam sebagai asas pembangunan modal insan: pengalaman APIUM

Artikel ini akan memfokuskan kajian terhadap transformasi pengajian tinggi aliran Islam yang telah dilaksanakan oleh Akademi Pengajian Islam Universiti Malaya (APIUM). Sorotan telah dilakukan terhadap pengalaman APIUM yang telah menjadi salah satu dari pusat pembangunan modal Insan Negara. Kajian ini bertujuan melihat sejauh masa usaha APIUM dalam mentransformasikan pengajian tinggi aliran Islam bagi menjana pembangunan modal insan di Malaysia. Bagi mencapai objektif, kajian dilaksanakan melalui dua metode utama iaitu metode dokumentasi dan juga metode persejarahan. Kajian mendapati APIUM merupakan sebuah fakulti pengajian lengkap dengan matlamat melahirkan ulama, cendekiawan dan teknokrat Muslim yang cekap. Diharapkan modal insan yang telah dan bakal dilahirkan oleh institusi ini dapat memikul amanah dan tanggungjawab yang diberikan. APIUM juga mempunyai pelan strategik yang jelas bagi mencapai visi dan misi yang digariskan

Areca nut chewing and the risk of re-hospitalization and mortality among patients with acute coronary syndrome in Pakistan

Objectives: Areca nut is widely consumed in many parts of the world, especially in South and Southeast Asia, where cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also a huge burden. Among the forms of CVD, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Research has shown areca nut chewing to be associated with diabetes, hypertension, oropharyngeal and esophageal cancers, and CVD, but little is known about mortality and re-hospitalization secondary to ACS among areca nut users and non-users. Methods: A prospective cohort was studied to quantify the effect of areca nut chewing on patients with newly diagnosed ACS by categorizing the study population into exposed and non-exposed groups according to baseline chewing status. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations of areca nut chewing with the risk of re-hospitalization and 30-day mortality secondary to ACS. Results: Of the 384 ACS patients, 49.5% (n=190) were areca users. During 1-month of follow-up, 20.3% (n=78) deaths and 25.1% (n=96) re-hospitalizations occurred. A higher risk of re-hospitalization was found (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 3.27; p=0.002) in areca users than in non-users. Moreover, patients with severe disease were at a significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality (aHR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.67 to 4.59; p<0.001) and re-hospitalization (aHR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.73 to 4.26; p<0.001). Conclusions: The 30-day re-hospitalization rate among ACS patients was found to be significantly higher in areca users and individuals with severe disease. These findings suggest that screening for a history of areca nut chewing may help to identify patients at a high risk for re-hospitalization due to secondary events

Effects of processing variables and full fat soy flour on nutritional and sensory properties of spaghetti using a mixture design approach.

The influence of full-fat soy flour (FFSF) and extrusion conditions on nutritional and sensory characteristics of spaghetti was evaluated using a mixture design, in order to produce functional pasta. Addition of FFSF increases the nutritional composition significantly (P<or=0.05). Generally, the presence of FFSF showed a negative influence on the color attribute, but no effect on the firmness and surface condition of spaghetti. No significant difference was observed in the beany flavor up to 23.0 g/100 g. The temperature and screw speed of the extruder had no significant effect on nutritional and sensory attributes, but both enhanced the effect of formulation on the color and surface condition of spaghetti. Also, interaction between the screw speed and the ingredients resulted in a slight positive effect on the firmness and beany flavor attributes. Optimum nutritional value and sensory attributes of spaghetti were produced when 17.0 g/100 g FFSF was added and processed at a screw speed of 40 rpm and a temperature of 70 degrees C

Vivax malaria and chloroquine resistance: a neglected disease as an emerging threat

In Pakistan, Plasmodium vivax contributes to major malaria burden. In this case, a pregnant woman presented with P. vivax infection and which was not cleared by chloroquine, despite adequate treatment. This is probably the first confirmed case of chloroquine-resistant vivax from Pakistan, where severe malaria due to P. vivax is already an emerging problem