A Mini Review on Working Mechanism, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Preventative Maintenance of Low Temperature Long Term (LTLT) Milk Pasteurizer

A small-scaled batch Low Temperature- Long Term (LTLT) pasteurizer is one of many types of pasteurizers that is being utilized in food-based industries particularly in dairies. It has a capacity of heating up the milk and holding the temperature for a certain amount of time to kill pathogenic microorganisms. The instantaneous heat up is caused by heat exchangers either in the form of plates or metal coils depending on the machine. The coil is circulated within the jacket of the tank where it heats up and holds the temperature. Hot water circulation will be in continuous movement around the milk to heat it up and maintain the desired temperature. After certain period, the efficiency of LTLT pasteurizer starts declining due to cumulated issues. Decline in efficiency will affect the output of the machine too. Instantaneous heat exchanges, leaking, unstable pressure and electrical problem degrades the machine over period if it is not complying with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a proper Preventative Maintenance (PM) plan. The SOP and PM will increase the machine’s lifespan and maintain a good efficiency rate for longer period. This mini review paper will compile the possible PM plan and establish a sustainable SOP for the LTLT Pasteurizer

PI/NCC carbon membrane: effect of additives loading towards hydrogen separation

Incorporating thermally labile polymer-based additives is a facile and practical approach in developing superior carbon membranes. In this study, three different thermally labile polymers, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were introduced separately to P84-copolyimide (PI) solution as additive and their impact on membrane performance were investigated. Firstly, NCC was added as the membrane pore former for hydrogen gas (H2) separation. The addition of NCC significantly increased pore channels in the membrane, hence contributed to high gas permeance and selectivity. The tests involving pure H2 and N2 permeation were carried out at room temperature. Carbon membranes carbonized at a final temperature of 800°C with the heating rate of 3°C/min under Ar flow achieved the greatest H2/N2 selectivity of 434.68±1.39, hence proving the potential of NCC as a good additive

Colour reduction and anti-microbial evaluation of pre-treated cashew leaves extract

Cashew leaves are used traditionally for various health promoting effects includingj wound healing and diarrhea and could be orally consumed for its effectiveness. Previous research shows that cashew leaves and its bark extracts is rich in tannin and is a potential antimicrobial agent. Extended from these properties, we selected cashew leaves extract as a candidate for potential natural preservative. The extraction method especially using ethanol or other solvent extraction will result in intense colour that will limit its application. The intense green colour of the leaves is due to chlorophyll and become a problem to end product. Various treatments could be used to reduce chlorophyll in the leaves. This study focused on the pretreatment of the cashew leaves in order to minimize the green colour intensity of the extract. Our study shows that pretreatment 3 reduced the green colour intensity significantly. Pretreatment 3: cashew leaves heated in boiling water for 1 minute, immediately cooled in ice-cold water then blotted to dry. The dried leaves then cut into small pieces and floated on the surface of 0.05 M EDTA-2Na, pH 7.0 for 24 hours exposure to the light (5000 lux). The antimicrobial activity of all the extracts was almost similar and was shown to be as effective as methylpareban at concentration as low as 2.5g (v/v). The extract could control the growth of all five main microorganisms as recommended by FDA for cosmetic and bodycare products

Fetal movement simulator for fetal monitoring sysyem testing

Advancement of technology allows devices with small sensors to detect the fetal movements to monitor its health. The newly developed devices require testing on pregnant women. A fetal movement simulator will help in testing the machines before the need of testing on an actual fetus. It will also help in quantitatively measure the performance of the device. We present the development of a fetal simulator to simulate the condition of the fetus in the womb. The motor with the limb-like rod has been assembled, programmed and controlled using Arduino to generate the movements. The movement shows a successful force simulation of the real fetus movement and ready to be used for testing by sensors. This simulator not only for research but also for teaching as it shows a transparent example of the mechanical force of the fetal limbs

Information flow and causality between price change and trading volume in silver and platinum futures contracts

This study examines the joint relationship between the percentage price change and the trading volume of silver and platinum futures contracts traded on Commodity Exchange, Inc. (COMEX) using the daily time series which covering a period of ten years. We adopt the two-step procedures proposed by Cheung and Ng (1996) to detect the causality of information flow between price change and trading volume. We find that lagged causality in mean running from the price change to trading volume but not for opposite direction under the original AR-GARCH model. The causality in variance is not found in our results. After that, we find evidences of mild lagged causality in variance running from the percentage price change to the trading volume under the augmented AR-GARCH model, which supports the sequential information flow hypothesis and consistent with the previous study by Bhar and Hamori (2004) in gold futures contracts. However, the contemporaneous causality has been found in the gold futures contract is not consistent with our findings

The effects of absorptive capacity and recipient collaborativeness as technology recipient characteristics on degree of inter-firm technology transfer

Problem statement: As an efficient means to increase global competitiveness, technological capabilities and potential for local innovation, organizations in the developing countries are working hard to collaborate, learn and internalize their foreign partner’s technological knowledge by forming strategic alliances or International Joint Ventures (IJVs). Technology recipient characteristics, as one of the important actors/facilitators of inter-firm technology transfer, have increasingly become crucial factors in determining the success or failure of inter-firm technology transfer within IJVs. Since the current issue on inter-firm Technology Transfer (TT) in the developing countries is centered on the efficiency and effectiveness of the transfer process by the Multinationals (MNCs) therefore the success is often associated with or measured by degree of technology transferred to local partners. Based on the underlying knowledge-based view and organizational learning perspective, this study aims to empirically examine the effects of two critical elements of technology recipient characteristics: Absorptive Capacity (ACAP) and Recipient Collaborativeness (RCOL) on degree of technology transfer: Degree of tacit and explicit knowledge in IJVs. Approach: Using the quantitative analytical approach, the theoretical model and hypotheses in this study were tested based on empirical data gathered from 128 joint venture companies registered with the Registrar of Companies Of Malaysia (ROC). Data obtained from the survey questionnaires were analyzed using the correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The results revealed that recipient collaborativeness as the critical element of technology recipient characteristics has strong significant effects on both degrees of tacit and explicit knowledge. Although absorptive capacity has been strongly emphasized of its significance effect, however, the results are not statistically significant. Conclusion/Recommendations: The study had bridged the literature gaps in such that it provides empirical evidence on the effects of two generic technology recipient attributes: absorptive capacity and recipient collaborativeness on degree of inter-firm technology transfer: degree of tacit and explicit knowledge

Effects of critical knowledge characteristics on degree of inter-firm technology transfer

Problem statement: The current issue on inter-firm technology transfer in the developing countries is centered on the efficiency and effectiveness of the transfer process by the Multinationals (MNCs). Thus, organizations in the developing countries are striving hard to collaborate, learn and internalize their foreign partner’s technological knowledge by forming strategic alliances or International Joint Ventures (IJVs) as an efficient mean to increase their competitiveness, technological capabilities and potential for local innovation. Knowledge as the critical element underlying technology has become one of the main factors that affects the success and failure of inter-firm technology transfer within IJVs which is measured by the degree of technology transferred. Based on the underlying knowledge-based view perspective, this paper aims to empirically examine the effect of three critical knowledge characteristics: Tacitness, complexity and specificity on degree of technology transfer and its two dimensions: Degree of tacit and explicit knowledge. Approach: The theoretical model and hypotheses in this study were tested using empirical data gathered from 128 joint venture companies registered with the Registrar of Companies of Malaysia. Data obtained from the survey questionnaires were analyzed using the correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The results revealed that tacitness and complexity as two critical elements of knowledge characteristics have significant effects on both degrees of tacit and explicit knowledge; with complexity recording slightly stronger effect than tacitness. However, although specificity has a strong theoretical foundation, it did not record significant effect. Conclusion: The study has bridged the literature gaps in such that it provides empirical evidence on the effects of three generic knowledge attributes: Tacitness, complexity and specificity on degree of inter-firm technology transfer and its two dimensions: Degree of tacit and explicit knowledge

Evolution and development of technology transfer models and the influence of knowledge-based view and organizational learning on technology transfer

The main objective of this paper is to review the evolution and development of technology transfer models before and after the 1990s. These technology transfer models will be reviewed in terms of focus of each model, strengths and limitations of the models, and to highlight the significance influence of knowledge-based view and organizational learning perspectives, which have strong theoretical foundation, on the current technology transfer models. The early technology transfer models were developed to govern the implementation of technology transfer activities and their application to market place; where emphasis was given on the promotion, adoption and diffusion of new innovations and technologies to potential users as well as on technology transfer processes. Nonetheless, with the emergence of knowledge-based economies, the technology transfer models have been gradually developed by management researchers to explain the dynamic role of knowledge underlying technology as the organizations’ strategic asset and organizational learning through inter-firm technology transfer

Moderating effects of MNCs' size in the relationship between knowledge characteristics and degree of inter-firm technology transfer in international joint ventures

The main objective of this paper is to empirically examine the moderating effect of size of MNCs on the relationships between knowledge characteristics: tacitness, complexity and specificity and two distinct dimensions of degrees of technology transfer: degrees of tacit and explicit knowledge in inter-firm technology transfer within IJVs. Using the moderated multiple regression, the theoretical models and hypotheses in this study were tested based on empirical data gathered from 128 joint venture companies registered with the Registrar of Companies of Malaysia (ROC). The results revealed that size of MNCs has significantly affected the relationships between knowledge characteristics (tacitness, complexity and specificity) and both degrees of tacit and explicit knowledge; where the relationships were found stronger for medium/small MNCs than large MNCs. The study has bridged the literature gaps in such that it offers empirical evidence on the moderating effect of size of MNCs on the relationships between knowledge characteristics and two distinct degrees of technology transfer: degrees of tacit and explicit knowledge using the Malaysian sample