The determination of accretion rate in Setiu Mangrove, Malaysia: Thorium-230 versus artificial horizontal marker method

In this study, determination of sediment accretion rate using the 230Th and the artificial horizon marker method in Setiu mangrove were done. Applying the 230Th excess method, an average accretion rate of 0.62 cm yr1 was obtained. This is comparable to that of an artificial horizon marker method giving an average of 0.61 cm yr1• The 230Th method provides a rapid and simple method of evaluating 230Th accumulation histories in sediment cores. Sample preparation is also significantly simplified, thus providing a relatively quick and easy method for the determination of the accretion rate in mangrove areas. Assuming that the accretion rate values are accurate, this may imply that the sediments in the upper 100 cm were deposited during the last 163 years

Multi-wavelength fiber laser with erbium doped zirconia fiber and semiconductor optical amplifier

Multi-wavelength hybrid fiber lasers are demonstrated in both ring and linear cavities using a fabricated Erbium-doped Zirconia fiber (EDZF) and semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) as gain media. In both configurations, the a fiber loop mirror, which is constructed using a 3 m long polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) and a polarization insensitive 3dB coupler is used as a comb filter for the fiber laser. In the ring cavity, 10 simultaneous lines with peak power above -26 dBm is obtained at 1550 nm region. This is an improvement compared to the linear cavity configuration which has only 5 simultaneous lines observed from wavelength 1556.1 nm to 1563.0 nm with the peak power above -40 dBm. Both hybrid lasers has a constant line spacing of 1.7 nm, which is suitable for wavelength division multiplexing and sensing applications and shows a stable operation at room temperature

Synthesis and characterization of Fe2O3/CaO derived from Anadara Granosa for methyl ester production

Taufiq Yap Yun Hin/ Mohd Izham Saiman/ / Ibrahim M. Lokman In this study, the iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) doped on natural CaO catalyst (Fe2O3/CaO) was prepared and utilized in biodiesel production from used frying oil by a single-step reaction process. The heterogeneous Fe2O3/CaO catalyst was synthesized using impregnation method; followed by calcination at 500 °C. The catalyst was characterized in detail by both qualitative and quantitative methods such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), ammonia and carbon dioxide-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD and CO2-TPD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The operating parameters such as molar ratio of methanol, catalyst amount and reaction time were investigated in order to optimize the reaction condition for the biodiesel production. As a result, the optimum reaction parameters found were 15:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio, 65 °C reaction temperature, 3 h of reaction time and 1 wt.% of the Fe2O3/CaO. The reported results revealed suggestively high potential of the heterogeneous Fe2O3/CaO catalyst for direct conversion of used frying oil to biodiesel-with the possibility to reuse at least 5 reaction cycles without any reactivation process

Islamic Views on the Objectives of Social Media Usage: A systematic literature review

Nowadays, the usage of social media is inevitable. While its expansion is welcomed, its adverse effects are also threatening. One of the areas that needs to be researched to combat those adverse effects is to see the role of objective-driven usage of social media, as many Islamic scholars believe that objective-driven action can lead to a better understanding of something and promote its proper conduct. This study aims to seek hikmah in using social media from an Islamic perspective, as has been studied by other researchers. Hikmah meant here is a deep understanding of the objectives to be achieved in conducting an action according to Islamic teachings. 22 research papers were reviewed from Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, and Google Scholar from 2012 to 2022. The study found six main objectives of using social media from an Islamic perspective, namely to propagate Islamic teachings (da’wah), to build and sustain relationships (ukhuwwah), to educate to establish one’s character; to entertain well as to enjoin good and forbid harm

Emerging patterns and problems of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) mathematical problem-solving in the Form-three assessment (PT3)

Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) mathematical problem-solving was first introduced in the Form-3 assessment (PT3) in 2014. However, to date, there have been no studies of students’ ability to solve the mathematical problems in this assessment. Therefore, this study investigated the emerging patterns and problems of HOTS mathematical problem-solving in the PT3. This investigation was a case study and classified under a qualitative research approach. Oral reporting (i.e. thinking aloud protocol) was used to obtain the data. The participants were 10 Form-3 students who were candidates for PT3 in 2015. They were students in a secondary school in a district in Johor Bahru. The results show that students who successfully solved the HOTS mathematical problems produced the same process starting with understanding, followed by phases of planning, implementation, and ending with the final answer. The students who failed to answer the HOTS mathematics questions produced a solution pattern starting with understanding followed by planning and implementation. Based on the patterns, this study also identified the problems that emerged in every step of the HOTS mathematical problems-solving processes and discusses how they could be overcome and improved.Keywords: Form-three assessment (PT3); higher-order thinking skills (HOTS); mathematical problem-solving; Model of Poly

Web-based virtual learning environment (EmoViLe) with emotive interface feature

This study attempts to obtain the user requirements for the EmoViLe during the data collection and to identify the user requirement for the EmoViLE. This VLE will be benefited to the student by improving the user experience and increasing their engagement when using the VLE, and lecturer in helping them to understand their student better and to come out with a better future plan for their learning assessment. The methodology in doing this study are Phase 1 which involved the initial study on the previous work, Phase 2 is the data collection on the user requirement, Phase 3 which involves the design process of the VLE, Phase 4 is the development phase of the VLE and Phase 5 is the testing on the prototype of the VLE. The expected outcome is a prototype of the VLE with the emotive interface feature that can contribute for the improvement and betterment on teaching and learning process between students and lecturer.Keywords: emotions; virtual learning environment; web-based teaching; web-based learning dashboard; Kansei engineering

First Observation of a Spontaneously Matured Female European Eel (Anguilla anguilla)

This study reports on the first observation of a spontaneously matured female European eel. The 43-year-old eel, together with eleven other females, resided at an aquarium house since their capture in 2002 and stocking as glass eels in 1978. In June 2019, the girth of the belly of the female increased as a sign of oocyte maturation. The specimen had an estimated gonadosomatic index (GSI) of 47, only half of the oocytes were hydrated and matured, indicating that European eels are polycyclic batch spawners. The live eels of the cohort were still in the previtellogenic phase but their eye sizes were close to that of the matured eel. We hypothesize that substances released by other maturing and spawning fishes may have triggered puberty of the eel. This first observation, and the possibility of more eels maturing in the near future, provides a natural reference for the sexual maturation of the European eel.</p

Gender, livestock and livelihood indicators

This guide is a reference point for some of the important indicators that ILRI can use to monitor the changing role of livestock in livelihoods in different production systems and the impact of livestock-related interventions. While this list of indicators is not comprehensive in covering all the areas in which ILRI works, it provides a starting point for the common objectives which most of our projects, be they in markets, biotechnology or the environment, hope to achieve. Some of these indicators are already commonly used in different surveys but their application has not always been consistent or comparable. With time, we expect to develop further common indicators around other areas of research in ILRI. This document should therefore be considered as a living document to which we will add core indicators around the thematic areas covered by ILRI’s research including such areas as partnerships, capacity building and the key thematic areas of markets, biotechnology and environment. This document should be used to guide your data collection within projects. These may include baseline data, evaluation (both internal and external), impact assessments, project appraisals and any other data collection within the projects and programmes across the institute, including surveys conducted by students where possible. Currently, the indicators are designed for data collection at household level and for integration into household surveys. Project teams should ask for assistance in adapting these indicators for use in other types of surveys such as community surveys, focus group discussions, market agent surveys and key informant interviews. Livestock play multiple roles in livelihoods. In deriving these indicators, we have used both the sustainable livelihoods framework, placing livestock within an assets and capital framework, and as a pathway out of poverty. The latter recognizes that for livestock to translate into poverty reduction the necessary conditions i.e. technologies and services to generate productive, sustainable and profitable markets are a pre-requisite. Section 2 of this document identifies 6 categories of indicators and gives a rationale for each of the indicators and how to measure them covering both the tools for data collection on the indicator and its calculation. Section 3 provides the initial basic survey data to capture in ILRI surveys, Section 4 focuses on study meta-data to document and Section 5 on household sampling

Effect of soluble probiotic on production performance of Akar Putra chicken

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of soluble probiotic on the production parameters of local Malaysian chicken (Akar Putra). A total of seventy two 1-day-old Akar Putra chicks were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, each having 3 replicates of 8 chicks. The treatments were as follows: (T1) control, (T2) probiotic supplemented at 1 g/liter tap water, (T3) probiotic supplemented at 2 g/liter tap water. The results revealed that supplementation of soluble probiotic at both the rates resulted in an improved performance of male and female Akar putra chicken. Birds who received 2 g of prepared probiotic per liter of water (T3) exhibited highly improved (p<0.05) body weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio than other groups. It can be concluded that supplementation of prepared soluble probiotic would be economically beneficial in improving the production performance and health status of Akar Putra chicken