Design and Development of Downdraft Gasifier to Generate Producer Gas

The drive towards renewable energy become intense nowadays due to the increasing price of fossil fuels and depletion of their sources. Among promising resource of renewable energy is the biomass. In Malaysia, oil palm biomass are available in large quantity and suitable for conversion into value added bio-fuels. In this study, an-innovative small-scale downdraft gasifier was designed, development and tested for biomass gasification. The gasifier operates at flowrate less than 0.1 m/s3 with a capacity of 5 KW. During testing and commissioning of the gasifier, the maximum efficiency of the gasifier was found to be about 71% when firing empty fruit bunch pellets. This gasifier has potentials to be up scaled for actual use either for domestic or industrial use.Â

[Understanding of Academic Members Kuala Terengganu Ipta The Concept of Breastfeeding Milk According The Islamic Perspective] Kefahaman Ahli Akademik Ipta Kuala Terengganu Terhadap Konsep Penyusuan Susu Ibu Menurut Perspektif Islam

An understanding of breastfeeding according to the Islamic perspective is very important in ensuring the success of breastfeeding, especially among working mothers. The absence of a study related to the understanding of the concept of breastfeeding according to the Islamic perspective among IPTA academics while they are the educated group that should be used as a guide among other women is the main problem of this study. Therefore, this study was built to study the understanding of academics at IPTA Kuala Terengganu about breastfeeding according to the Islamic perspective. This study was conducted in the field (field studies) and using quantitative methods. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews with experts in the field of Islamic family Fiqh. A total of 140 out of 180 respondents were selected from selected locations are UiTM Kuala Terengganu, UMT and UniSZA. The results show that the respondents have a good understanding regarding breastfeeding according to the Islamic perspective with an average mean value between 2.67-3.92. These findings show that the knowledge of Islam is an important foundation in ensuring the successful implementation of breastfeeding.   Kefahaman terhadap  penyusuan susu ibu menurut perspektif Islam sangat penting dalam memastikan kejayaan penyusuan susu ibu terutamanya dalam kalangan ibu yang bekerjaya. Ketiadaan kajian berkaitan kefahaman terhadap konsep penyusuan susu ibu menurut perspektif Islam dalam kalangan ahli akademik IPTA sedangkan mereka adalah golongan terpelajar yang perlu dijadikan panduan dalam kalangan wanita lain merupakan permasalahan utama kajian ini. Justeru itu, kajian ini dibina untuk mengkaji kefahaman ahli akademik di IPTA Kuala Terengganu tentang penyusuan menurut perspektif Islam. Kajian ini dilakukan secara lapangan (field studies) dan menggunakan kaedah kuantitatif. Data dikumpulkan melalui instrumen soal selidik dan temu bual bersama pakar pakar dalam bidang Fiqh kekeluargaan Islam.Seramai 140 daripada 180 orang responden telah dipilih dari lokasi yang terpilih ialah UiTM Kuala Terengganu, UMT dan UniSZA. Hasil dapatan menunjukkan para responden mempunyai kefahaman yang baik berkenaan dengan penyusuan susu ibu menurut perspektif Islam dengan purata nilai min antara 2.67-3.92. Dapatan ini menunjukkan bahawa ilmu pengetahuan tentang Islam merupakan asas yang penting dalam memastikan kejayaan pelaksanaan penyusuan susu ibu ini.   Kata kunci: Ahli Akademik, Kuala Terengganu, Penyusuan Susu Ib

Role of social factors, self-efficacy and technological support on the use of virtual learning environment among teachers

Virtual learning environment (VLE) has been introduced in educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities to encourage a systematic online teaching and learning platform. This paper aims to examine the effect of social factors, self-efficacy, and technological support on the utilization of VLE in the educational process. A quantitative approach was employed and the data was collected through a set of questionnaires administered to selected respondents. A total of 356 accounting teachers from secondary schools in Peninsular Malaysia were chosen as the samples. A reflective measurement model in partial least square-structural equation modeling was utilized to measure the effect of the exogenous latent variable on the endogenous latent variable. Results indicated that social factors namely (colleagues, administrators, and school culture) significantly affect the use of VLE among teachers. Further, self-efficacy and technological support namely (facilities quality, internet access, and technical support) positively influence teachers to apply VLE during teaching. The quality of technological facilities in schools needs to be developed to promote effective educational processes and motivate teachers to use digital technology. Further, it is strongly suggested that teachers need to be given appropriate training and ongoing support to develop their skills in using digital technology

Recent updates on metabolite composition and medicinal benefits of mangosteen plant

Background Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) fruit has a unique sweet-sour taste and rich in beneficial compounds such as xanthones. Mangosteen has been originally used in various folk medicines to treat diarrhea, wound, and fever. More recently, it has been used as a major component in health supplement products for weight loss and promoting general health. This is perhaps due to its known medicinal benefits including as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation. Interestingly, the publications related to mangosteen has surged in recent years suggesting its popularity and usefulness in research laboratories. However, there is still no updated reviews (up to 2018) in this booming research area, particularly on its metabolite composition and medicinal benefits. Method In this review, we have covered recent articles within the year of 2016 to 2018, which focuses on several aspects including the latest findings on compound composition from mangosteen fruit as well as its medicinal usages. Result Mangosteen has been vastly used in medicinal areas including as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-diabetes treatments. Furthermore, we have also described the benefits of mangosteen extract in protecting various human organs such as liver, skin, joint, eye, neuron, bowel, and cardiovascular tissues against disorders and diseases. Conclusion All in all, this review describes the numerous manipulations of mangosteen extracted compounds in medicinal areas and highlights the current trend of its research. This will be important for future directed research and may allow researchers to tackle the next big challenge in mangosteen study; drug development and human applications

Glacie5 Enterprise: Portable Fridge / Nurul Nadhirah Mohd Elias Zulkifli [et al.]

Glacie5 Enterprise is a new company operated and based in Malaysia. The name Glacie is derived and taken from the word Latin which means 'ice', which means that our product is related to cooling and bring coolness to peopl

Contributing factors of urban heat island- an investigation on surface temperature of ground surface materials in three plazas with different types of landscape settings : a case study of plazas in Putrajaya

Urban heat island (UHI) is a phenomenon where an urban area is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural area (VoogtandOke, 2003). During night time, more heat is being released causing a greater temperature difference between the city and countryside. The increment of the air temperature is from the modification of land surface due to urban development such as change of land use, paved surfaces; more building being built that uses materials that significantly retain heat. Canyon geometry, evaporative cooling source and wind pattern are other factors that contribute to the formation of urban heat island. This phenomenon negatively affects the social outdoor activities, health and economy. Therefore, this paper aims to study the impact of surface material in urban plazas on their micro climate. Three different plazas: shaded, partially shaded and exposed plazas were studied to compare and contrast on their landscape settings and surface temperature of various materials. Other variables considered in this research are wind speed, solar radiation and cloud cover. By this research, it is hoped that appropriate surface material with appropriate criteria can be identified to mitigate the UHI effect

Aspects of trees and their influence in reducing solar radiation penetration to the ground

Vegetation plays an important role in modifying the climate in urban areas. Apart from its function that is to provide shade, the absorption of high proportion of the solar radiation by the dark green leaves, the cooling effect from the evaporation of water from the leaves and the potential of reducing glare are among the roles of vegetation in modifying the microclimate. Not only providing the screening effect to reduce the solar penetration on the ground and walls, the existence of trees in clumps also has the potential in reducing the ambient temperature. However, the potential of trees in addressing the above mentioned functions are yet to be empirically investigated. This study is intended to investigate the aspect of trees: which are the trunk height, crown height, diameter of the canopy as well as the foliage density, and their effect in screening the solar radiation from penetrating and heating the ground. The data collection was done within the campus of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) due to the availability of various types of trees. Conducted in July 2013 this study involved 89 trees from four case study sites. Solar radiation readings were taken at human level of about 1.5m from the ground underneath the canopies of the investigated trees, between 11am to 3pm. The initial results show significant reduction of the quantity of solar radiation penetrating the canopies from the different tree aspects. These findings are hoped to guide designers in choosing appropriate trees in achieving their design intentions especially when addressing the thermal comfort of users and in mitigating the urban heat island effect. Keywords: solar radiation, tree aspects – trunk height, crown height, canopy diameter, foliage densit

VG Pasta Production / Nurul I'zzati Ramli... [et al.]

We are making pasta from vegetables that has been steamed until become soft to start our business. We choosing to making this product because, in Malaysia there is a few company that produced the same products but using the different vegetables. Besides, nowadays people are more concern on healthy lifestyle and tend to eat the food that contains high amount of nutrients. The research show that vegetables has many benefit to human health and need to consume by the human every day.We produce pasta from carrots, beetroot and pumpkin. The price of vegetables pasta is based on the box that consists of IO packets. Every packet of vegetables pasta consists of 250 g of this pasta. The price of the box is RM 180.00 which RM 18.00 per packet. The price is medium compare to other regular pasta and it considered fine as our product contain vegetables which are on another level. The reason we put such medium price because we want people from rural and urban areas able to consume our product. We believe that our product can reach people heart, compete with our competitors soon and keep improving in the future

Localmassa Pvt Ltd : Mussels' Sand / Izzat Iskandar Noor Alhazly ...[et al.]

The initiation of our product comes from the idea of sustainable products that can help to reduce waste and save the environment. Not only it is eco-friendly, it is also much more reasonable and easier to be obtained. Our company guarantees our invention can change the society's perspective in viewing the capability of an unwanted waste

Impak pandemik COVID-19 terhadap golongan B40

Kajian ini membincangkan impak pandemik COVID-19 ke atas golongan B40 di Malaysia. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji impak pandemik ke atas aspek sosio-ekonomi golongan B40, jenis bantuan kerajaan yang diterima, serta impak bantuan tersebut terhadap golongan B40 dalam menghadapi saat getir sepanjang tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) di Malaysia pada tahun 2020. Kajian ini melibatkan 141 responden yang terdiri daripada golongan B40 di daerah Johor Bahru. Data dikumpul menggunakan soal selidik dan dianalisis menggunakan statistik deskriptif. Hasil kajian menunjukkan keadaan sosio-ekonomi golongan B40 amat terkesan berikutan penularan pandemik COVID-19. Antara dapatan kajian yang penting untuk dikemukakan ialah bantuan kerajaan seperti Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) memberi impak positif demi kelangsungan hidup golongan B40 di era yang mencabar ini. Kajian ini dapat memberi implikasi yang bermanfaat buat pihak berwajib dalam menimbangtara keberkesanan bantuan yang disalurkan. Selain itu, penambahbaikan boleh dijana hasil daripada dapatan kajian agar kelestarian sumber manusia di Malaysia dapat dikekalkan