A Survey on Building Safety after Completing the Construction Process in Malaysia Using Statistical Approach

Building condition is an important issue in all over the world to enhance safety, health and sustainability of built environment. The objective of this study is to determine the most frequent causes of building failures in order to avoid the building from collapses, cracks and so on. The collection of data has been done among the engineers, workers and public. The questionnaire was distributed among engineers, contractors and public with 100 respondents. This survey focuses on two main parts of the safety which are building design and building management. The building designs are divided into four main criteria which are building structure, service design, building fitting and hazard environment. Meanwhile, the item of building management is focused on the management criteria. Results are analysed using statistical approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to evaluate the efficiency of the models’ fitness and goodness. The survey shows that all criteria are importantly needed in maintaining the safety of building after completing the contraction process

Achieving Efficient Decision Making Through Hybrid Reduction in Soft Set Theory

The main intention of proposing an alternative technique is to ensure consistency is been upheld besides successfully reducing the file. Of all the reduction techniques available currently, only normal parameter reduction has managed to address the issue of consistency at optimal and suboptimal level. In this paper, we initiated another form of reduction known as hybrid reduction by complementing the normal parameter reduction with object reduction. It has already demonstrated that the proposed hybrid reduction has successfully reduced data by 55% with the sample used, thus proving that it as a good alternative for the process of decision making using less amount of data

Perbandingan antara perancah tulang nanobiokomposit alginat/ kulit kerang dan alginat/kalsium karbonat terhadap pertumbuhan osteoblas

Kalsium karbonat (CaCO3) memainkan peranan yang penting dalam merangsang pertumbuhan osteoblas. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk membandingkan prestasi perancah nanobiokomposit alginat/kulit kerang (nCP) yang mengandungi CaCO3 dari sumber semula jadi dan perancah alginat/kalsium karbonat (CC) yang mengandungi CaCO3 sintetik terhadap pertumbuhan osteoblas melalui kajian in vitro dan pemerhatian awal kebioserasian in vivo. Perancah tulang berbentuk tiga dimensi dibangunkan dengan menggunakan campuran 40% Alginat dan 60% serbuk kulit kerang bersaiz nano (perancah nCP) atau serbuk CaCO3 sintetik (perancah CC). Kajian in vitro terhadap pembebasan kalsium dan aktiviti enzim alkalin fosfatase (ALP) pada kedua-dua perancah yang telah dibenihkan dengan osteoblas ditentukan pada hari ketiga, kelima dan ketujuh pengkulturan. Kajian in vivo dijalankan dengan implantasi subkutan perancah yang telah dibenihkan dengan osteoblas pada bahagian dorsum lapan ekor mencit selama 21 hari. Setelah 21 hari, perancah dikeluarkan dari mencit untuk pemerhatian histologi menggunakan pewarnaan H&E and von Kossa. Hasil kajian in vitro menunjukkan peningkatan secara signifikan (p < 0.05) perembesan kalsium dan aktiviti enzim ALP pada perancah nCP pada hari ketujuh berbanding perancah CC pada hari ketiga dan kelima. Pemerhatian histologi terhadap kedua-dua perancah menunjukkan infiltrasi dan proliferasi osteoblas serta pembentukan tisu tulang peringkat awal. Pembentukan saluran darah juga dapat dikenal pasti pada perancah nCP. Kedua-dua perancah menunjukkan potensi untuk menyokong dan membantu pertumbuhan osteoblas namun perancah nCP didapati menunjukkan potensi yang lebih baik secara keseluruhan. Kesimpulannya, CaCO3 dari sumber semula jadi iaitu kulit kerang dan bersaiz nano berpotensi untuk dijadikan sebagai biobahan di dalam aplikasi kejuruteraan tisu tulang

Evaluating physical and biological characteristics of glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linked nano-biocomposite bone scaffold

In vivo stability of biomaterial-based bone scaffolds often present a significant drawback in the development of materials for tissue engineering purpose. Previously developed nanobiocomposite bone scaffold using alginate and nano cockle shell powder has shown ideal characteristics. However, it showed high degradation rate and reduced stability in an in vivo setting. In this study, we aim to observe the effect of cross-linking glutaraldehyde (GA) in three different concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 2% during the fabrication process as a potential factor in increasing scaffold stability. Microstructure observations of scaffolds using scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed all scaffolds crossed linked with GA and control had an ideal pore size ranging from 166.8-203.5 μm. Increase in porosity compared to the control scaffolds was observed in scaffolds cross-linked with 2% GA which also presented better structural integrity as scored through semi-quantitative methods. Tested pH values during the degradation period showed that scaffolds from all groups remained within the range of 7.73-8.76. In vitro studies using osteoblast showed no significant changes in cell viability but a significant increase in ALP enzyme levels in scaffold cross-linked with 2% GA. The calcium content released from all scaffold showed significant differences within and between the groups. It can be concluded that the use of GA in the preparation stage of the scaffold did not affect the growth and proliferation of osteoblast and use of 2% GA showed improved scaffold structural integrity and porosity

First report of decompression sickness (DCS) in a sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) stranded in southern Peninsular Malaysia

Decompression sickness, a condition in whales caused by bubble formation in certain body tissues from dissolved inert gases. It occurs during transition from a high pressure environment to one of lower pressure, resulting in a range of conditions from itching to joint pain, convulsions, and death. A carcass of a stranded Sei Whale, Balaenoptera borealis, found on the shores of southern coast of Peninsular Malaysia was presented for postmortem. Investigation results showed that the male Sei Whale, named Si Corner showed pathologic lesions as seen from histology with the formation of fibrosis, emphysema and edema in the lungs and hepatic atrophy which indicated chronic starvation. It believed that he also suffering from “Barotrauma or decompression sickness” which affected the ear or lungs which lead to unbalanced movement due to changes in air pressure. This may have caused the whale to beach and consequent mortality. The pathologic lesions found give an insight into possible causes of death of beached whales in Malaysia

Cytotoxicity and oxidative stress evaluation of Alginate/Cockle Shell powder nanobiocomposite bone scaffold on osteoblast

Biocompatibility and growth of osteoblast on bone scaffolds play an important role towards their therapeutic application. The presence of oxidative stress generated by bone scaffolds highly influences osteoblast growth and its functional performance. In this study in-vitro interaction of developed Alginate/Cockle Shell powder nanobiocomposite bone scaffold on osteoblast with regards to cytotoxicity and oxidative stress are evaluated. Cytotoxicity studies using MTT assays revealed a significant increase in viability of cultured osteoblast in the presences of the scaffold extracts. The growth of osteoblast on the scaffold were not deterred with the presence of any major oxidative stress factors as determined through oxidative stress profile studies using SOD, GSH and ROS assays. The nanobiocomposite scaffold evaluated in this study shows promising use in regards to facilitating osteoblast proliferation, growth and viability

A survey on building safety after completing the construction process in Malaysia using statistical approach

Building condition is an important issue in all over the world to enhance safety, health and sustainability of built environment. The objective of this study is to determine the most frequent causes of building failures in order to avoid the building from collapses, cracks and so on. The collection of data has been done among the engineers, workers and public. The questionnaire was distributed among engineers, contractors and public with 100 respondents. This survey focuses on two main parts of the safety which are building design and building management. The building designs are divided into four main criteria which are building structure, service design, building fitting and hazard environment. Meanwhile, the item of building management is focused on the management criteria. Results are analysed using statistical approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to evaluate the efficiency of the models’ fitness and goodness.The survey shows that all criteria are importantly needed in maintaining the safety of building after completing the contraction process

A Survey on Building Safety after Completing the Construction Process in Malaysia Using Statistical Approach

Building condition is an important issue in all over the world to enhance safety, health and sustainability of built environment. The objective of this study is to determine the most frequent causes of building failures in order to avoid the building from collapses, cracks and so on. The collection of data has been done among the engineers, workers and public. The questionnaire was distributed among engineers, contractors and public with 100 respondents. This survey focuses on two main parts of the safety which are building design and building management. The building designs are divided into four main criteria which are building structure, service design, building fitting and hazard environment. Meanwhile, the item of building management is focused on the management criteria. Results are analysed using statistical approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to evaluate the efficiency of the models’ fitness and goodness. The survey shows that all criteria are importantly needed in maintaining the safety of building after completing the contraction process

Functional performance evaluation of an alginate/nano-cockle shell powder nanobiocomposite bone scaffold with BMP-2

Improvement in bone tissue engineered scaffolds plays an important role in determining the healing outcome. This study aims to investigate the functional performance of previously developed nanobiocomposite bone scaffolds using bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) for comparative analysis. The structural morphology and porosity of the scaffolds were analysed using scanning electron microscopy prior to dividing them into two groups, BMP-2 treated and control, for the surface mineralization study, in vitro and in vivo evaluation. The surface mineralization study showed the presence of plate-like calcium and phosphorus apatite crystallites in both groups indicative of the mineralization process. Osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1 subclone 4) cultured on the scaffold showed changes in the surface morphology with the presence of mineralization elements and the extensive presence of collagen fibres in BMP-2 scaffolds compared to the control. This was supported by a significant increase in calcium and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity showing enhancement in osteoconductiveness. In vivo studies conducted on 20 male ICR albino mice through subcutaneous dorsum implantation of scaffolds for 2 and 4 weeks showed a significant increase in the histological score for inflammatory cells, scaffold degradation and neovascularization at week 4 compared to week 2 for the BMP-2 scaffold. These findings are supported by a significant decrease in ALP activity indicative of scaffold mineralization. There were no significant differences between BMP-2 and control scaffolds within the period of this study. In conclusion, the functional performance of the scaffolds was mildly accelerated in BMP-2 compared to the control scaffold which showed promising properties in supporting osteogenesis without the use of any promoting factors