Development Of Web Database Application For Research And Consultancy Project Management

Database system has evolved in the recent years. Good decisions nowadays, require good information that comes from a manageable data store. Data are likely to be managed most efficiently when they are stored in a database. The Internet has transformed database management system and put them in move towards the integrated Internet-enabled database application. Organisations are now rapidly building new database applications or reengineering existing ones to take full advantage of the web as a strategic platform in becoming Web-centric organizations. This report discusses the database system development and framework for developing a prototype system for Project Development Web Database System for the Center for Research and Consultancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia (CRC) that has been developed using MySQL, PHP and Apache. The system development was designed using the Database Life Cycle (DBLC) approach. Apart from that, this project report discusses the findings and issues and challenges encountered during the development of the web database system. This prototype system was successfully being developed together with a user manual designed as a guide for the system users. It is hoped that this prototype system will contribute as a model and used as a reference in the implementation of a Web Database System for the CRC. It is also hoped that the system prototype will be further developed and further enhanced by the CRC as well as other schools and departments in UUM or any project management units in all institutes of higher learning thoughout the country

Use Of Non-Financial Measures In Information Technology Decision Making: A Design Research Study Of Learning Management System (LMS) Decision Making In Universities.

Implementing Learning Management Systems (LMS) in universities is becoming one of the most critical decisions in higher education environment as they could yield long term benefit particularly in terms of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning processes and gaining competitive positions. Like IT and IS investment in other sectors generally, there is a need to develop a more comprehensive and effective model that really articulates the value from IT investment, to assist better decision making processes. Researchers have suggested that IT investment decision making models that are based primarily on monetary evaluation are inadequate because the value of IT investment is mostly indirect and intangible in nature. This study investigates the decision making models that are used to decide on the technology to invest, focusing on the importance of non-financial value to be incorporated in the IT investment decision making models. It proposes a model for LMS decision making, which integrates the Information Technology Balanced Scorecard (ITBSC) framework and Murphy’s (2002) “five pillars of benefit realization”. Six perspectives are derived from this integration, which are direct payback, business process, users, learning and growth, IT architecture and infrastructure, and risk and uncertainty perspectives

The development of a LMS decision making model: Evaluating the importance of non-financial measures in LMS decision making at universities

This research examined how managers in universities incorporate non-financial measures in their Learning Management System (LMS) decision-making processes.A LMS decision-making model which includes six multi-dimensional perspectives, incorporating financial and non-financial criteria and indicators, was developed and evaluated.The outcome of this study is a LMS decision-making model developed as a tool to support a more effective evaluation of Information Technology (IT) alternatives.Results also indicate that there was substantial support for using a multi dimensional decision making model among IT decision makers at universities, and that they believed that non-financial measures are important and should be considered in a LMS decision making process

Improving communication and critical thinking skills among accounting students through the use of flipped learning

Many researchers have attempted to study the efficiency of e-learning and blended learning concepts on teaching and learning processes. One of the most recent developments in technology enhanced method in teaching and learning is a method called flipped learning. It is an approach where the traditional one-way lecture is flipped to make room for active learning opportunities where educators shift learning into the individual learning space facilitated by technology. This study attempts to implement flipped learning approach in the effort to enhance communication and critical thinking skills among accounting students in Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accounting (TISSA) in Universiti Utara Malaysia. The study involved 49 students from BKAL1013 Business Accounting Group O class from the first semester of 2016/2017.The objective of this study is to examine how the use of flipped learning can help to improve communication and critical thinking skills in problem solving among students taking the accounting subject.From this study, the results showed that students’ communication and critical thinking skill has developed with the use of flipped learning. Sufficient time however, is needed for students to understand the content from the lectures given in the form of a video used as the media in this project used as an e-learning platform in this project, as well as the ‘catchy’ contents should be created to enhance interest from the students to watch the video

Antioxidative properties of leaf extracts of a popular Malaysian herb, Labisia pumila.

A study was undertaken to examine the presence of antioxidative activities of two varieties of Labisia pumila; L. pumila var. Alata and L. pumila var. Pumila using DPPH, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching methods. In addition, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, anthocyanin, total flavonoid and total phenolic content were also analyzed. In eight methods studied, six of them showed high activities of antioxidant in L. pumila var. Alata compared to that of L. pumila var. Pumila. The results obtained showed that L. pumila var. Alata contained higher antioxidative activities in all three methods applied compared to var. Pumila. In DPPH, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching methods, L. pumila var. Alata had high antioxidant activities with 299.84 µM trolox/g db, 164.16 µM trolox/g db and 89.22%,respectively. The same pattern of antioxidant activities also can be observed in ascorbic acid, β-carotene and anthocyanin in L. pumila var. Alata compared to var. Pumila with 0.022, 3.175 and 0.328 mg/g FW, respectively. L. pumila var. Pumila had higher total flavonoid content than L. pumila var. Alata with 1.281 mg/g FW. For total phenolic content, no significant different was observed because the amount of total phenolic content ranging from 2.53 to 2.55 mg/g FW. There is a positive correlation between antioxidant capacities and individual antioxidative compounds in the following order β-carotene>flavonoid>vitamin C>total anthocyanins >phenolics

Enhancing social and lifelong learning skills through the use of mobile technology as a motivational factor

Growing use of technology by students is having an impact on teaching and learning as stu-dents are increasingly seeking to use technologies to engage in a range of academic activities. The traditional way of teaching and learning have to change in order to enhance students’ social and lifelong learning skills. Communicating with mobile phone have become a daily routine by most students. They are motivated to almost anything that involves mobile tech-nology. That is why they are spending hours with their phones. Thus, this study is done to recognize how mobile technology can help enhancing the social and lifelong learning of stu-dents through a case done in Seminar in Management Accounting class with the use of social and lifelong learning rubric and action research methodology. The study found that students have the opportunity to engage with the business communities through the use of mobile technology. The technologies enable them to engage with other party regardless of time and situations

Development Of Terrain Height Multipliers And Roughness Lengths For Seberang Perai Region

Malaysia telah membangunkan satu kod piawaian beban angin terhadap bangunan yg dikenali sebagai Kod Piawai Beban Angin MS 1553:2002. Kod ini telah di adaptasi dari kod piawaian angin Australia 1170.2 kerana Malaysia dan Australia mempunyai keadaan iklim yang hampir serupa. Dalam masa yang sama, kajian giat dijalankan bagi mengemaskini semua pekali dan pembolehubah berdasarkan keadaan iklim sebenar di Malaysia. Menara Telekomunikasi Seberang Jaya telah di pilih sebagai lokasi kajian yang mewakil kawasan Kategori 3 bagi daerah Seberang Perai. Lapan tahun data pada tiga aras ketinggian yang berbeza telah dikumpul bagi menjalankan kajian ini. Data di rekod menggunakan “Ultrasonic Wind Sensor” (UWS). Persamaan “Power Law” merupakan persamaan yang paling sesuai dengan profil angin di kawasan kajian dan ianya telah dibuktikan oleh Ramli (2005). Di dalam kajian ini, kaedah statistik dan metematik digunakan bagi mencari Pekali Dedahan dan Ketinggian, Mz,cat dan Jarak Kekasaran Permukaan, zo. Keputusan kajian mendapati bahawa nilai Mz,cat yang diperolehi adalah lebih kecil nilainya berbanding nilai yang sediada yang digunakan di dalam MS 1553:2002. Perbezaan sehingga 19% di perolehi dan ianya berlaku disebabkan Australia dan Malaysia mempunyai iklim yang agak berbeza. Perbezaan yang sama juga dapat dilihat secara konsisten pada hasil perbandingan diantara kod dan piawaian antarabangsa yang lain. Nilai zo yang diperolehi untuk semua kategori kawasan adalah di antara 0.03 m hingga 1.13 m dan nilai tersebut berada di dalam lingkungan nilai bg keseluruhan kod dan piawaian antarabangsa yang diguna pakai. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Malaysia has developed its own standard of practice in wind loading known as MS 1553:2002 Code of Practice on Wind Loading for Building Structure. During the development of this Malaysian Standard, reference was made to Australian Standard due to the similarity of wind climate between Malaysia and Australia. In the same time, researches have been carried out in order to update all parameters in MS 1553:2002 based on Malaysia wind climate. Seberang Jaya Telecommunication Tower was selected as the study area representing terrain Category 3: Suburban area for Seberang Perai region. An eight years period of data are recorded at three different levels by using the Ultrasonic Wind Sensor (UWS). Power Law profile is the best equation fit with the vertical wind speed profile at the study area as proven by Ramli (2005). In this study, Terrain Height Multiplier, Mz,cat, and Roughness Length, zo for all terrain categories in Seberang Perai region are defined by using statistical and mathematical method. From the results obtained, the proposed Mz,cat for all terrain categories are much lower than the current values in MS 1553:2002. The difference up to 19% obtained due to the fact that Australia and Malaysia have different wind climate. A reasonable good agreement and a consistent result for Mz,cat can be noted from the comparison of the proposed value to the other international codes and standards. The proposed zo for all terrain categories are in range from 0.03 m to 1.13 m which is still in the overall range for all codes and standards

Properties of concrete containing ground palm oil fuel ash as fine aggregate replacement

Environmental degradation resulting from increasing sand mining activities and disposal of palm oil fuel ash (POFA), a solid waste generated from palm oil mill needs to be resolved. Thus, the present research investigates the effect of ground palm oil fuel ash as partial fine aggregate replacement on workability, compressive and flexural strength of concrete. Five mixtures of concrete containing POFA as partial sand replacement designed with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of POFA by the weight of sand were used in this experimental work. The cube and beam specimens were casted and water cured up to 28 days before subjected to compressive strength and flexural strength testing respectively. Finding shows that concrete workability reduces as the amount of POFA added become larger. It is worth to note that 10% of POFA is the best amount to be used as partial fine aggregate replacement to produce concrete with enhanced strength

Complete Application Of Profiled Steel Sheeting Dry Board System As School Classroom Modules

This paper describes the application of Profiled Steel Sheet Dry Board (PSSDB) system as innovative lightweight composite school classroom modules

In vitro haematological studies of stichopodidae sp and holothuriidae sp

Thrombosis is a pathologic condition that occurs when the body forms arterial or venous blood clots that are excessively large and obstruct blood flow. Aspirin and ticlopidine has been widely used as prophylactic inhibitors for platelet aggregation and anticoagulants such as coumadin (warfarin) and heparin are used as a conventional treatment for thrombosis prevention, it is however, difficult to control them due to many factors that can contribute to coagulation. Further, prolonged usage of aspirin and ticlopidine have been implicated with peptic ulceration and gastrointestinal disturbances; and the use of warfarin and heparin have been shown to cause haemorrhage, necrosis of skin, gastro intestinal disturbances, thrombocytopenia and allergy reactions. Therefore, the search for more effective agents that can secw·e full antithrombotic benefits while minimizing the antihaemostatic outcome should be pursued. This could help to prevent the often lethal consequences of the conditions mentioned above. A part from hastening wound healing, opsonizations of leucocytes to the wound site were observed with I 0% gamat solution in an earlier unpublished observation. (SSJ Mohsin-personal communication). This observation prompted the idea of looking at the effects of sea cucumber extracts (gamat in Malay) on haematological parameters. In this study, the extracts of sea cucumbers (Holothuriidae sp and Stichopodidae sp.), will be investigated as a potential antithrombotic agents An initial study will be undertaken to look for changes in mean platelet volume (MPV) using automated Ceii-Dyn 4000 haematology analyzer. Six different healthy voluntary donors were chosen randomly and used as sample. One (1) ml of blood was placed into seven tubes containing O.Olml of PBS (control) and extracts of two species of sea cucumber at different concentrations were used. In this study the concentration used were at O.lmglml, l.Omglml, and IOmglml Stichopodidae sp.; O.lmg/ml, l.Omg/ml and I Omglml Holothuriidae sp. The effective dose on blood was determined for duration of 2 hours with 30 minutes interval from the time of the extract were added to the blood specimen. RM ANOV A revealed that there were no significant different of mean platelet volume between the seven groups tested. However, for within group analysis (time effect) of the species, only Holothuriidae sp. showed significant different. The results from these experiments will establish the direction of subsequent studies in vivo using laboratory animals. The proposed in vivo studies were to assess the eftect of gamat extracts on platelet functions at various concentrations of Holothuriidae and Stichopodidae species. Test group animals which have been initially induced to have hypercoagulable states will be used to compare with the non-treated and vehical treated groups. Blood viscosity, coagulation parameters, haematological parameters and platelet morphology and platelet function t~sts will be done on the blood samples of treated and control groups of animals. The potential anti-thrombotic properties of different species of gamat can only be elucidated following the extensive in vivo studies as mentioned above