Lightning impulse tests on air-breakdown level in point-plane electrode configuration

In the past several decades, extensive amount of research work has been done to understand the fundamental characteristics of the electrical breakdown. Breakdown voltage is a phenomenon where the quantity of an electrical force is required to transform the electrical properties of an object. Many factors that lead to the breakdown voltage are still not fully discovered. These factors are including the physical parameters of the electrodes (sphere, plane, point etc.) and also the environmental conditions. In electrical power system, high voltage (HV) power equipment is mainly subjected with spark over voltage. In this study, point electrode and plane electrode have been used for the experimental study of the short air gap. The electrodes are vertically aligned. In order to simulate the performance characteristic of the air breakdown voltage and maximum electric field between the conducting point and plane electrodes, the electrodes is taken into considered in this work using FEMM simulation. The air breakdown voltages between the electrodes (point and plane) are measured by conducting the air breakdown voltage experiment in high voltage laboratory and corresponding electrical field strength. The electrodes gap distances are being varied to 5 different gaps which are 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm and 25mm. In order to achieve maximum strength in such a field, the point of the highest stress is controlled. From the experiment, it was established that the point at the electrode that produces maximum electric field is at the point with the smallest area or width. As for point electrode, the smallest area is at the angle of the electrode. Besides, it shows that the electrical breakdown characteristic is affected by the strength of the impulse voltage. Higher gap distance between the electrodes will result higher breakdown-impulse voltage while higher breakdown-impulse voltage will produce higher field intensity

Sabah civil servants internet usage and its impact on their consumer behavior / Mohd Hamdan Haji Adnan, Mohd Adnan Hashim and Amir Shafiq.

From the end of the twentieth century to the early twenty first century the government of Malaysia is consistent in its efforts to make the information communication technology (ICT) usage as a way of life in the country. Promoting ICT usage as a way of life has been aggressively campaigned by the Federal Government since the Internet era began. It is expected that the civil servants should be among the first consumers to embrace ICT as compared to other citizens. This article researched Internet usage by Sabah civil servants and aims to discover whether it has impacted their consumer behaviour. The research used random sampling method with prepared questionnaires. It utilised the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) to understand why and how the civil servants utilised the Internet to meet their needs. Altogether 12 Sabah government agencies comprising 316 respondents from the top to the lowest grades participated in this study. The findings revealed that Sabah civil servants nearly fully embrace the Internet and its impact on their consumer behaviour is significant. They are increasingly spending more time on the Internet via the social media to socialise, to enhance their knowledge, to buy online and to even try to earn extra income

Assessments of healthy lifestyle practices using fuzzy / Mohd Khairi Mohd Adnan

The changes in the health behaviour of most individual nowadays are showing a trend towards a less healthy lifestyle. There are low levels of awareness about their health states. Health experts now describe lifestyle as one of the most important factors affecting health. In fact, it is estimated that as many as seven of the ten leading causes of death could be reduced through common-sense changes in lifestyle. Lifestyle assessment or evaluate is the process of identifying behavioural risk factors particular to an individual with the intent to encourage behaviour change for the prevention of poor health outcomes in the future. Improving the health of people living requires an initial assessment of their health status. Various instruments exist to measure perceived health. One such instrument is simply a question that asks people to rate their health as poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent. Six categories of lifestyle behaviour has used in this research, there are cigarette smoking, alcohol and drugs, eating habits, exercise/fitness, stress control and last one is safety. As fuzzy method has high potential of reasoning capability, the purpose of this research study is to investigate and develop an assessment system using fuzzy which are able to rate the health lifestyle practices based on behaviour of those six categories by answering a few provided questionnaire related to health style

Assessments of healthy lifestyle practices using fuzzy / Mohd Khairi Mohd Adnan

The changes in the health behaviour of most individual nowadays are showing a trend towards a less healthy lifestyle. There are low levels of awareness about their health states. Health experts now describe lifestyle as one of the most important factors affecting health. In fact, it is estimated that as many as seven of the ten leading causes of death could be reduced through common-sense changes in lifestyle. Lifestyle assessment or evaluate is the process of identifying behavioural risk factors particular to an individual with the intent to encourage behaviour change for the prevention of poor health outcomes in the future. Improving the health of people living requires an initial assessment of their health status. Various instruments exist to measure perceived health. One such instrument is simply a question that asks people to rate their health as poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent. Six categories of lifestyle behaviour has used in this research, there are cigarette smoking, alcohol and drugs, eating habits, exercise/fitness, stress control and last one is safety. As fuzzy method has high potential of reasoning capability, the purpose of this research study is to investigate and develop an assessment system using fuzzy which are able to rate the health lifestyle practices based on behaviour of those six categories by answering a few provided questionnaire related to health style

Dynamic scheduling in a multi-product manufacturing system

To remain competitive in global marketplace, manufacturing companies need to improve their operational practices. One of the methods to increase competitiveness in manufacturing is by implementing proper scheduling system. This is important to enable job orders to be completed on time, minimize waiting time and maximize utilization of equipment and machineries. The dynamics of real manufacturing system are very complex in nature. Schedules developed based on deterministic algorithms are unable to effectively deal with uncertainties in demand and capacity. Significant differences can be found between planned schedules and actual schedule implementation. This study attempted to develop a scheduling system that is able to react quickly and reliably for accommodating changes in product demand and manufacturing capacity. A case study, 6 by 6 job shop scheduling problem was adapted with uncertainty elements added to the data sets. A simulation model was designed and implemented using ARENA simulation package to generate various job shop scheduling scenarios. Their performances were evaluated using scheduling rules, namely, first-in-first-out (FIFO), earliest due date (EDD), and shortest processing time (SPT). An artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed and trained using various scheduling scenarios generated by ARENA simulation. The experimental results suggest that the ANN scheduling model can provided moderately reliable prediction results for limited scenarios when predicting the number completed jobs, maximum flowtime, average machine utilization, and average length of queue. This study has provided better understanding on the effects of changes in demand and capacity on the job shop schedules. Areas for further study includes: (i) Fine tune the proposed ANN scheduling model (ii) Consider more variety of job shop environment (iii) Incorporate an expert system for interpretation of results. The theoretical framework proposed in this study can be used as a basis for further investigation

Bird's habitat suitability model in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve using geographical information system.

Peninsular Malaysia's growing population and rapid economic development have resulted in pressure of forest area usage which consequently led to decrease in wildlife habitat. Recent urban development surrounding Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (AHFR) in Selangor, for example, had threatened potential habitats of wildlife including birds. This study was undertaken with two objectives: (i) to develop bird's habitat suitability model using GIS for Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve and, (ii) to identify and map bird habitat location and distribution in the study area. In the study, available AHFR digital map was used in the modelling and analysis. The bird's distribution data was digitized into a GIS using PC-Arc View Version 3.3 software. Suitability model for classifying bird habitat was developed incorporating pre specified criteria. The four criteria used to classify bird's habitat suitability area were "distance from forest edge", "distance from road", "distance from river" and "site slope". These criteria were ranked and weighted prior to calculation by using Suitability Equation in the GIS software. The bird habitat suitability scales used in this study were "highly suitable", "moderately suitable" and "marginally suitable" areas. The suitability model implemented in GIS enables the mapping of suitable bird habitat in AHFR. From the analysis, it was found that the highly suitable area for bird's habitat was located at the centre of the AHFR, which lied from north to south. The highly suitable area was found to cover about 615.83 hectare (6158254 m2), and for moderately and marginally suitable areas, they were about 517.07 hectare (5170752 m2) and 59.98 hectare (599802 m2), respectively. A total of 36 birds were observed present in the highly suitable area, 19 in moderate suitable area and none in the marginally suitable area. The main bird species in the highly suitable area was Little Spiderhunter, Olive-winged Bulbul and Yellow vented Bulbul. Results showed that GIS can be used to identify suitable area for bird habitat in AHFR, hence, the approach can be used for wildlife management strategy in AHFR in the near future

An Investigation of the Genetic Control of Biofilm Formation in Bacteria (E. coli K-12 MG1655)

The ability to adapt to changing environments is essential for survival. Bacteria have developed sophisticated means by which they sense and respond to stresses imposed by changes in the environment. Escherichia coli (E. coli) have served as a model organism for studies in molecular genetics and physiology since the 1960s. I have undertaken this study and address three outstanding questions. Firstly, the involvement of morphogene bolA and RNA polymerase sigma factor (rpoS) in biofilm formation. Secondly, the effect on respiratory activity of E. coli in presence and absence of these two genes and thirdly, the adherence pattern and formation of biofilm by E. coli on stainless steel, polypropylene and silicon surfaces under various stress-induced conditions. Bacterial biofilms are structural assemblages of microbial cells that encase themselves in a protective self produced matrix and irreversibly attach to surface. Their intense resistance to antibiotic and various environmental stresses has implicated them as playing a possible role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. Although, the role of rpoS and bolA genes in long term stationary phase growth conditions and their response to it is now well-known, their objective presence and importance in short term response to different environmental cues which may lead to biofilm formation remains unknown. The rpoS gene encodes a stationary phase specific sigma factor of RNA polymerase and is a key regulator of E. coli stationary phase responses. It has been experiential under laboratory conditions that gene expression is induced by stressful environmental conditions and certain metabolic intermediates. Various stress environments were employed both in planktonic and biofilm phases to examine the sudden response of rpoS against different environmental conditions. However, it was observed that sudden rpoS response varies from stress to stress conditions. The gene bolA has been shown to trigger the formation of round cells when over expressed in stationary phase. From this research, it is concluded that bolA is not only confined to stationary phase, it also involves in biofilm formation under stress environments and essential for normal cell morphology. It also plays a major role in respiration and attachment of E. coli under diverse environmental stress surroundings. The main objective of this study was to understand the impact of heat, cold, acid and hydrogen peroxide on E. coli K-12 MG1655 and its stress response in presence and absence of rpoS and bolA genes. E. coli cells were exposed to sub-lethal levels of each stress for 15 minutes in both planktonic and biofilm phases and post-stress response i.e. gene expression level was evaluated. A real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, using the Applied Biosystems 7500™ real-time cycler, was developed for the purpose of this investigation of rpoS and bolA genes transcription. The assay was used specifically to quantify rpoS and bolA mRNA levels; however the method can readily be applied to the study of other E. coli genes. The method was uniquely applied to the investigation of these two genes throughout the growth cycle of E. coli in planktonic and biofilm phase in LB broth, in order to ascertain the patterns of expression for these genes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for direct examining the cell attachment and biofilm formation on various surfaces under different stress conditions. In summary, this thesis embodies research investigating the role of rpoS and bolA genes in E. coli K-12 MG1655 biofilm formation and provides further evidence, that bacterial biofilms play a major role in resistance to various environmental cues

Making public relations a true profession in Malaysia by an act of parliament: an advocacy

The practice of public relations is becoming more sophisticated than ever with increasing areas of specialisations and functions. However, the tasks of public relations practitioners are perceived to range from the positive to negative. Sadly, more are now leaning towards the later. Unethical practices like spinning; astroturfing; fronting; and language managing are alleged to be increasing. Even the names or labels for public relations have become more varied than ever. It can range from public affairs, corporate affairs, perception management, to spin doctoring. To date, no one universal definitions of public relations exist. Every public relations professional body have their own definitions and so do public relations practitioners. This probably reflects the diversity of public relations practices and the environment it is operating. Despite the rapid growth of the public relations practice and its education and training globally it status as a true profession remains questionable. In Malaysia, the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM) tries to overcome this issue by lobbying for a Public Relations Profession Act. This article attempts to explain the reasons why IPRM feels the need for the act, benefits of the act, actions taken to realise it, reaction of the government towards this effort, response by IPRM members and non-members, research conducted on public relations practitioners view of the propose act, overcoming fears/oppositions, some relevant points in the act, etc. This paper is written from the writer’s involvement in trying to promote public relations as a true profession and also being a public relations educator for over 30 years. Thus, the research methodology is mainly the participatory approach, and basically advocacy in nature. The practice of public relations is becoming more sophisticated than ever with increasing areas of specialisations and functions. However, the tasks of public relations practitioners are perceived to range from the positive to negative. Sadly, more are now leaning towards the later. Unethical practices like spinning; astroturfing; fronting; and language managing are alleged to be increasing. Even the names or labels for public relations have become more varied than ever. It can range from public affairs, corporate affairs, perception management, to spin doctoring. To date, no one universal definitions of public relations exist. Every public relations professional body have their own definitions and so do public relations practitioners. This probably reflects the diversity of public relations practices and the environment it is operating. Despite the rapid growth of the public relations practice and its education and training globally it status as a true profession remains questionable. In Malaysia, the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM) tries to overcome this issue by lobbying for a Public Relations Profession Act. This article attempts to explain the reasons why IPRM feels the need for the act, benefits of the act, actions taken to realise it, reaction of the government towards this effort, response by IPRM members and non-members, research conducted on public relations practitioners view of the propose act, overcoming fears/oppositions, some relevant points in the act, etc. This paper is written from the writer’s involvement in trying to promote public relations as a true profession and also being a public relations educator for over 30 years. Thus, the research methodology is mainly the participatory approach, and basically advocacy in nature

A Comparison Study On Engine Oil Properties For Bi-Fuel Motorcycle

All mechanical equipment must be lubricated in order to reduce friction and wear between the touching surfaces. For four-stroke motorcycle engine, the function of the engine oil play critical roles since the oil does not burn along with fuel in combustion chamber as two-stroke motorcycle engines. The oil will circulate around inside the engine and the quality of the oil will decreased time by time. In conjunction with that, the engine oil must be removed after certain running period or distance recommended by the engine manufactures. The use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel claimed to provide several benefits to engine components and effectively reduce maintenance requirements. It does not mix with or dilute the lubricating oil faster and will not cause deposits in combustion chambers as well as on spark plugs to the extend that the use of petrol does, thereby generally extending the engine oil, piston ring and spark plug. It is the intention of this paper to compare the effect of both physical and chemical properties of motorcycle engine oil used by MODENASS KRISS 110cc motorcycle engine after running 5000 km using natural gas and gasoline respectively

A study of diagnosis discrepancy between admission and discharge in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Background: The accuracy of Emergency Department (ED) doctors in making a provisional diagnosis is crucial as it has direct impact on the patient treatment, safety, length of stay and cost of treatment. The study of the accuracy of the provisional diagnosis made by ED to compare with the discharge diagnosis is scarce in its availability and most results vary with different continents. This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the diagnosis made by ED doctors in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) and the factors contributed to the discrepancy. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study in which medical records of patient admitted to hospital USM within Mei 2016 until December 2017 were selected using simple random sampling methods. The folders were then reviewed and the association within the categorized diagnosis accuracy was analysed using the ICD-10 classification. The sample size was 180 cases and cases was divided into two main categories. The factors associated with the unmatched diagnosis from both, patients and provider were then measured using multiple logistic regressions. Results: Hospital USM Emergency department had 84.4 percent of matched diagnosis with 15.56 percent of unmatched diagnosis. The odds of having unmatched diagnosis in patients from green zone are 4.2 times higher compared to the red zone. Conclusions: Hospital USM Emergency department had high diagnostic accuracy as compared to the unmatched diagnosis