Treatment of wastewater from rubber industry in Malaysia

Presently, Malaysia is the third largest rubber producer in the world, whereby the rubber industry is an economically and socially significant industry. Rubber industry consumes large volumes of water, uses chemicals and other utilities and produces enormous amounts of wastes and effluent. Discharge of untreated rubber effluent to waterways resulted in water pollution that affected the human health. With a new global trend towards a sustainable development, the industry needs to focus on cleaner production technology, waste minimization, utilization of waste, resource recovery and recycling of water. The present work aims at highlighting various technologies that currently have been used for treatment of rubber effluent in Malaysia. The work introduces the basis of these processes including their benefits and also problems. It also adheres to the future trends of rubber effluent treatment in Malaysia by reviewing various treatment technologies for natural rubber industry implemented by Thailand, the world largest rubber producer. These new and effective effluent treatment methods would minimize environmental pollution of rubber industry and bring it to become sustainable and environmental friendly.Key words: Rubber industry, effluent, waste management, Malaysia

Improvement of protective coating on Nd–Fe–B magnet by pulse nickel plating

Author name used in this publication: C. W. ChengAuthor name used in this publication: F. T. ChengVersion of RecordPublishe

Fabrication of nano-structured HA/CNT coatings on Ti6Al4V by electrophoretic deposition for biomedical applications

Author name used in this publication: Hau Cheung ManRefereed conference paper2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Refereed conference paperAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

Laser-processing-induced phase transformation in Zn- Al-based alloy

Version of RecordPublishe

Databases in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Potential for a Distributed Network Approach

Background: This study describes the availability and characteristics of databases in Asian-Pacific countries and assesses the feasibility of a distributed network approach in the region. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted among investigators using healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific countries. Potential survey participants were identified through the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network. Results: Investigators from a total of 11 databases participated in the survey. Database sources included four nationwide claims databases from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan; two nationwide electronic health records from Hong Kong and Singapore; a regional electronic health record from western China; two electronic health records from Thailand; and cancer and stroke registries from Taiwan. Conclusions: We identified 11 databases with capabilities for distributed network approaches. Many country-specific coding systems and terminologies have been already converted to international coding systems. The harmonization of health expenditure data is a major obstacle for future investigations attempting to evaluate issues related to medical costs.postprin

Fabrication of nano-structured HA/CNT coatings on Ti6Al4V by electrophoretic deposition for biomedical applications

In order to improve the bone bioactivity and osteointegration of metallic implants, hydroxyapatite (HA) is often coated on their surface so that a real bond with the surrounding bone tissue can be formed. In the present study, cathodic electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been attempted for depositing nanostructured HA coatings on titanium alloy Ti6Al4V followed by sintering at 800 °C. Nano-sized HA powder was used in the EPD process to produce dense coatings. Moreover, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were also used to reinforce the HA coating for enhancing its mechanical strength. The surface morphology, compositions and microstructure of the monolithic coating of HA and composite coatings of HA with different CNT contents (5 to 20%) on Ti6Al4V were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry, respectively. Electrochemical corrosion behavior of the various coatings in Hanks’ solution at 37 °C was investigated by means of open-circuit potential measurement and cyclic potentiodynamic polarization tests. Surface hardness, adhesion strength and bone bioactivity of the coatings were also studied. The HA and HA/CNT coated Ti6Al4V had a thickness of about 10 µm without cracks, with corrosion resistance higher than that of the substrate and adhesion strength higher than that of plasma sprayed HA coating. The properties of the composite coatings were optimized by varying the CNT contents. The enhanced properties could be attributed to the use of nano-sized HA particles and CNTs. Compared with the monolithic HA coating, the CNT-reinforced HA coating markedly increased the coating hardness without deteriorating the corrosion resistance or adhesion strength.Department of Applied PhysicsDepartment of Industrial and Systems EngineeringAuthor name used in this publication: Hau Cheung ManRefereed conference pape

A comparative study on migratory properties of copper in nickel, cobalt and palladium deposits

2000-2001 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Corrosion protection of Nd–Fe–B magnets by bismaleimide coating

Author name used in this publication: F. T. ChengVersion of RecordPublishe

Study of properties of cobalt-tungsten binary alloy deposit as copper barrier

2000-2001 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

MicroRNA expression, survival, and response to interferon in liver cancer

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common and aggressive cancer that occurs mainly in men. We examined microRNA expression patterns, survival, and response to interferon alfa in both men and women with the disease. METHODS: We analyzed three independent cohorts that included a total of 455 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone radical tumor resection between 1999 and 2003. MicroRNA-expression profiling was performed in a cohort of 241 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to identify tumor-related microRNAs and determine their association with survival in men and women. In addition, to validate our findings, we used quantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase- chain-reaction assays to measure microRNAs and assess their association with survival and response to therapy with interferon alfa in 214 patients from two independent, prospective, randomized, controlled trials of adjuvant interferon therapy. RESULTS: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the expression of miR-26a and miR-26b in nontumor liver tissue was higher in women than in men. Tumors had reduced levels of miR-26 expression, as compared with paired noncancerous tissues, which indicated that the level of miR-26 expression was also associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, tumors with reduced miR-26 expression had a distinct transcriptomic pattern, and analyses of gene networks revealed that activation of signaling pathways between nuclear factor κB and interleukin-6 might play a role in tumor development. Patients whose tumors had low miR-26 expression had shorter overall survival but a better response to interferon therapy than did patients whose tumors had high expression of the microRNA. CONCLUSIONS: The expression patterns of microRNAs in liver tissue differ between men and women with hepatocellular carcinoma. The miR-26 expression status of such patients is associated with survival and response to adjuvant therapy with interferon alfa. Copyright © 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio