Finite element modelling of structural clay brick masonry subjected to axial compression

This Paper Presents The Numerical Verifications Of The Experimental Investigation On The Effect Of Mortar Joint Thickness On Compressive Strength Characteristics Of Axially Loaded Brick-Mortar Prisms. The Three Dimensional Micro Modeling Of The Prisms Was Based On Two Approaches: Firstly, Models Were Assumed To Be Made Of Homogeneous Material; The Second Approach Envisaged The Models As Composite Material Made Of Brick And Mortar. The Later Modeling Approach, Which Assumed The Prism To Be Made Of Composite Material, Gave More Accurate Prediction Of The Stress Distribution In The Prisms, And Also The Failure Loads Predictions Were In Good Agreement With The Experimental Results, Suggesting That This Modeling Approach With Composite Material Assumption Is More Appropriate Than The Homogenous Material Assumption. In The Present Work, A Strength Magnification Factor Has Also Been Proposed For The Design Purposes, Which Can Be Used To Assess The Experimental Compressive Strength Of The Brick Masonry From Its Finite Element Analysis Results

Materials development for speaking skills in aviation English for Malaysian air traffic controllers : theory and practice.

In 2004 the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) mandated that pilots and air traffic controllers the world over meet a set standard of language proficiency requirements as a safety measure against language- and communication-related problems in flying. In response to this mandate, aviation English training and testing initiatives mushroomed in industry. One of the challenges faced by aviation English practitioners was the lack of aviation-specific language learning materials to teach aspects of language. This paper presents in-house training materials that were developed through cooperation and collaboration with subject matter experts in aviation specifically to help a group of trainee air traffic controllers in Malaysia improve their spoken English particularly in fluency as a skill in speaking. The paper offers the theory and practice with regard to the decisions made about the rationale for and the sequencing of materials that underlie the process of materials development. The paper has relevance for ESP and ELT theory and practice with respect to materials development

Anthropometric measurement of the lip-nose complex among young adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The lip-nose complex is an important aesthetic subunit of the mid and lower face. To date, there is no published data on lip-nose complex anthropometry for the Malaysian population. This cross sectional descriptive study aims to establish the norms of the lip-nose complex among Malaysian Malays, Chinese and Indians and to compare the transgender and transethnic variation between them. Seven parameters of the lip-nose complex namely mouth width, cupids bow width, columellar width, nasal width, lip height, columellar height and dome height were measured using standard anthropometric measurement tools. Three hundred sixteen-year-olds were randomly selected from three schools in Kuala Lumpur, with equal gender and ethnic distribution. Results obtained showed that all seven parameters the lip-nose complex in Malay, Chinese and Indian males were consistently larger than their respective female counterparts (p0.05). Malays and Chinese differed in all parameters except cupids bow width. Malays and Indians only differed in mouth width and nasal width. Chinese and Indians differed in lip height and dome height. Malays and Chinese show differences in their lip-nose complex profile despite having originated from the East Asian continent. Malays and Indians differed in width measures, while the Chinese and Indians differed in height measures. The variation of anthropological measurements among the three ethnic groups reinforces the need to have individualized norms. These findings form a baseline for future studies that are age based which would then serve as an invaluable guide to the reconstructive surgeon especially when dealing with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip repairs

Predictive Quality Of Service Schemes For Real-Time Multimedia Applications In Communications

In guaranteed QoS resources are reserved based on the worst-case analysis. This scheme guarantees QoS but results in low resource utilisation, subsequently depriving other users from acquiring service. In contrary, predictive QoS allocates an initial amount of resource, whereby QoS is guaranteed with a certain probability of degradation. This scheme is tailored for applications that are adaptive and robust towards sudden fluctuations in the service provided. The nature of multimedia data such as the variable bit rate has encouraged the implementation of predictive Quality of Service (QoS) as compared to guaranteed QoS. In a typical QoS scheme, two factors contribute to the computation of packet loss, which are : (i) a new packet dropped due to buffer overflow and (ii) a buffered packet dropped due to expired delay. The buffer resource is increased when the observed packet loss ratio has violated the requested level of packet loss ratio. The limitations in this scheme is caused by the admission of all packets into the buffer, inclusive of packets that will eventually be dropped due to expired delay. Subsequently, this results in poor resource management. In this research, two pro-active dynamic QoS control schemes are designed, the dynamic QoS control scheme with delay estimation, and the hybrid dynamic QoS control scheme. In both schemes, every new packet arrival is compared against the estimated delay it will experience, before being admitted into the buffer. If the estimated delay expires the requested delay bound, then the packet is dropped. In the hybrid scheme, every packet is checked before being admitted into the buffer, and also, the packets successfully admitted into the buffer are evaluated on the actual delay experienced before being transmitted to the receIver. The results obtained through the simulation models have shown that two schemes have significantly improved the average delay for different traffic patterns. In addition to improving the average delay in delay sensitive traffic, improvement is seen in the average packet loss ratio, and subsequently increasing the throughput for delay sensitive traffic. However, in packet loss sensitive traffic, the old scheme remains beneficial. The proposed scheme can be adopted for multimedia applications to enhance the QoS in terms of better delay and improved utilisation

Dynamic Traffic Scheduling and Resource Reservation Algorithms for Output-Buffered Switches

Scheduling algorithms implemented in Internet switches have been dominated by the best-effort and guaranteed service models. Each of these models encompasses the extreme ends of the correlation spectrum between service guarantees and resource utilisation. Recent advancements in adaptive applications have motivated active research in predictive service models and dynamic resource reservation algorithms. The OCcuPancy_Adjusting (OCP_A) is a scheduling algorithm focused on the design of the above-mentioned research areas. Previously, this algorithm has been analysed for a unified resource reservation and scheduling algorithm while implementing a tail discarding strategy. However, the differentiated services provided by the OCP _A algorithm can be further enhanced. In this dissertation, four new algorithms are proposed. Three are extensions of the OCP _A. The fourth algorithm is an enhanced version of the Virtual Clock (VC) algorithm, denoted as ACcelErated (ACE) scheduler. The first algorithm is a priority scheduling algorithm (i.e. known as the M-Tier algorithm) incorporated with a multitier dynamic resource reservation algorithm. Periodical resource reallocations are implemented. Thus. enabling each tier's resource utilisation to converge to its desired Quality of Service (QoS) operating point. In addition. the algorithm integrates a cross-sharing concept of unused resources between the various hierarchical levels to exemplify the respective QoS sensitivity. In the second algorithm. a control parameter is integrated into the M-Tier algorithm to ensure reduction of delay segregation effects towards packet loss sensitive traffic. The third algorithm, introduces a delay approximation algorithm to justify packet admission. The fourth algorithm enhances the VC scheduling algorithm. This is performed via the incorporation of dynamic features in the computation of the VC scheduling tag. Subsequently, the delay bound limitation of the parameter is eliminated

Performance of Trichoderma Harzianum Rifai as a Biological Control Agent for Basal Stem Rot of Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.) Caused by Ganoderma Boninense Pat

Basal stem rot (BSR) is a major threat to the oil palm industry. The disease is caused by Ganoderma boninense, which rots the internal tissues at the trunk base resulting in stem fracture and death of palm. The present study investigated the efficacy of two isolates of Trichoderma harzianum (BIO T32 and BIO T66) as potential biological control agents against BSR based on in vitro and in vivo trials. The study revealed that treatment applied as a soil drench using conidial suspension (mean of 1.61 x lo8 sporeslml) of BIO T32 in addition to a Trichoderma-incorporated palm press fibre (ppf) surface mulch, performed better with a significant difference compared to the use of BIO T66. The disease severity index (DSI) of the former was 28.35 compared to 76.67 of the latter. BIO T32 was also a competent biological control agent in the delayed treatment given to pre-infected seedlings at 6 weeks before treatment with BIO T32, giving a DSI of 45, which was statistically significant compared to the infected and untreated control seedlings with a DSI of 86.67. In testing the synergistic effect by combining the 2 isolates, a poorer performance was observed based on the DSI and plant biomass compared to single application of BIO T32. Isolate BIO T66 which showed good antagonistic properties in the in vitro assessment was not found to display similar results in the in vivo trials. A series of treatments were evaluated for their potential as a BIO T32 carrier. Out of the 3 studies, only ppf and compost exhibited promising results in their capacity as surface 4 mulches, where treatments with either one gave a DSI of 30. Both are food base carriers for they increased the growth of oil palm seedlings significantly, with compost displaying better results. Treatment with compost in terms of vegetative growth gave the highest plant biomass, leaf area measurement, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) content in the seedlings compared to the other 2 treatments of ppf and the untreated control seedlings. 1 In total, the experiment revealed that the application of BIO T32 as a single inoculum was the best treatment, giving a DSI of 28.35. Trials using a single application of BIO T66 and BIO T66 mixed with BIO T32 performed poorly, giving a DSI of 76.67 each and were not significantly different from the infected non-treated control plants. An appropriate interval of conidial suspension's application played a pertinent role in the inhibition of disease as demonstrated in the delayed treatment. The application of compost was found to be an interesting alternative to ppf as surface mulch, which functions also as a Trichoderma carrier. Finally, in terms of vegetative growth both ppf and compost as food base carriers significantly increased plant biomass, total leaf area measurement and N uptake compared to the untreated control

Language transfer as a communication strategy and a language learning strategy in a Malaysian ESL classroom.

This paper reports on the use of language transfer as a type of communication strategy and language learning strategy drawing on a variety of oral interaction activities from a Malaysian classroom for English as a second language. The study provides insights into not only how the learners’ first language functions as a strategy for communication but also how it can enhance second language learning by way of helping learners expand their second language repertoire and increase their automatization of second language items

Protein-binding sequences that may regulate organ-preferential transcription of zrp2, a Zea mays root-preferential gene

In this study, DNA-protein interactions of the first kilobase region proximal to the transcription start site of the zrp2 (Zea mays root-preferential 2) gene promoter was analyzed. The intent of this research was to identify regions of the promoter and DNA-protein interactions, that are responsible for root-preferential transcription. In vitro run-on transcription assays had revealed dramatically higher levels of transcription in 3-d-old roots than in 5-d-old leaves (Held, 1993). Interactions between regions of the zrp2 promoter and nuclear protein extracts from 3-d-old roots and 5-d-old leaves of maize were analyzed by gel mobility-shift assays. Two DNA-protein complexes with each protein extract were observed with the -472 to -180 region of the promoter. This region showed 72% nucleotide identity over a 159 bp portion of the first intron from an [alpha]-tubulin gene that is expressed preferentially in the roots of maize (Montoliu et al., 1989). A DNA-protein complex with higher electrophoretic mobility (Z2BP1) was observed with both root and leaf nuclear protein extracts. Complexes Z2BP2 and Z2BP3 were preferentially formed with root and leaf nuclear protein extracts, respectively. Subsequently, the protein-binding region was delimited to a 73 bp (-330 to -258) region, which contained several repeats of two sequence motifs consisting only of A and Ts. The effect of the protein-binding sequence on transcription of the 1 kbp and the 4.7 kbp promoter fragments (fused to the GUS reporter gene) were analyzed by particle bombardment-mediated transient-assays in roots and leaves of maize. The transcriptional activity of the promoters with the protein-binding region deleted were compared with their respective intact promoters. In roots, the deletion resulted in 5-fold-less transcriptional activity with the 1 kbp promoter fragment, while the 4.7 kbp promoter showed no significant decrease. In leaves no significant decrease was observed with either 1 kbp or 4.7 kbp promoters. We conclude that this protein-binding region is important in enhancing the level of transcriptional activity in roots

Modeling and simulation: the paradigm shift for cohesive resource harnessing

This paper presents the details of a specialized framework developed for the teaching of the modeling and simulation course for postgraduate students in Universiti Putra Malaysia. The unique feature of the subject is that it requires students ability to gain knowledge in several fields and relate them aptly to the need of performance analysis. IT also demands acquiring skills to develop comprehensive tools using the principles of discrete event simulation. The developed framework focuses on student-centered learning of queuing analysis, the development of models and relating them to performance analysis, the specialized activities to derive discrete event simulation components, and output analysis. It also deals with the tool's impact on research within the area. The framework was evaluated in a course. It showed the ability to enhance the level of student's understanding and application of competency gained to research