Role of Flipped Class in Developing Self-Regulated Learning of ESL Students at Undergraduate Level in Pakistan

Flipped learning is the inverted classroom method, which introduces the lesson at home and encourages practise as well as other already-introduced lesson-based activities inside the classroom for practical purposes. Students can use their self-regulated learning strategies to continue with their respective content learning. In the current research, undergraduate learners of a public sector university in Pakistan are enrolled in a "short reading comprehension course" and are classified into the control and experimental groups following the research questions. Data were accumulated quantitatively with the help of two questionnaires evaluating learners’ satisfaction with the flipped experiment as well as the effect of the flipped method on developing self-regulated learning strategies. Flipped group learners, on the whole, exhibited satisfactory attitudes towards implementing the flipped method. The current study will aid future researchers using the flipped method in navigating the additional dimensions and models featuring self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies, along with incorporating the SRL-based model into the flipped method to analyse the results

Modul penentuan hukum makanan ubah suai genetik (GMF) dan kepentingannya di Malaysia

Artikel ini membincangkan kepentingan pembinaan modul penentuan hukum produk makanan ubah suai genetik (GMF) dan kepentingannya di Malaysia berlandaskan kerangka Maqasid Syariah. GMF merupakan produk makanan moden yang dihasilkan melalui proses kejuruteraan bioteknologi dengan kaedah memanipulasi asid deoksiribonukleik (DNA) tumbuhan, haiwan dan sebagainya. Hasil daripada proses tersebut melahirkan produk makanan yang lebih berkhasiat dan mengandungi nutrisi lebih dari produk makanan yang asli. Makanan ubah suai genetik ini juga mampu dihasilkan dalam kuantiti yang banyak serta melibatkan kos yang sedikit berbanding makanan yang tidak melalui proses ubah suai genetik. Produk-produk yang dihasilkan ini masih tidak terdapat sebarang garis panduan atau modul yang dapat digunakan untuk membuat penentuan hukum terhadap produk-produk GMF tersebut. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menghasilkan garis panduan dalam bentuk modul yang perlu digunakan dalam menentukan status makanan yang telah melalui proses kejuruteraan bioteknologi. Kajian ini juga bertujuan untuk menjelaskan kepentingan garis panduan penentuan hukum makanan ubah suai genetik (GMF) di Malaysia. Dalam menjayakan kajian ini, kaedah pengumpulan data telah dijalankan menggunakan reka bentuk kualitatif dengan menggunakan metode perpustakaan, deskriptif, komparatif, dan analisis kandungan terhadap sumber-sumber fiqh dan sains. Dapatan kajian ini menunjukkan produk makanan GMF boleh dimakan sekiranya menepati prinsip-prinsip tertentu yang telah digariskan. Melalui prinsip-prinsip tersebut, pengaplikasian penentuan hukum produk-produk ubah suai genetik akan menjadi lebih jelas dan teratur. Kajian ini signifikan bagi mengatasi kesamaran status hukum makanan GMF, yang bertujuan untuk membantu pihak berwajib seperti Bahagian Hab Halal Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) dan Bahagian Perancangan & Penyelidikan JAKIM dalam menentukan hukum bagi produk-produk makanan ubah suai genetik (GMF)

Knowledge and practices: Risk perceptions of COVID-19 and satisfaction with preventive measures at workplace among maternity care providers in Pakistan

Introduction: While all healthcare services across the globe deferred non-urgent surgeries, labor wards provided maternity care during the COVID-19 pandemic continuously. This study assesses the knowledge and practices of obstetricians and midwives about personal protective equipment (PPE); their risk perception of COVID-19 and satisfaction with the preventive measures adopted at their workplace.Methods: A questionnaire designed according to the World Health Organization’s advice on rational use of personal protective equipment for COVID-19 was administered to 452 Pakistani maternity care providers between 1 July and 30 July 2020.Results: Most (85%) had adequate knowledge and 78.8% had good practices regarding PPE use. The perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 was lower than for influenza and tuberculosis. Perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 was highest for outpatient clinics. Fewer midwives compared to obstetricians (23.3% vs 32.9 %, p=0.001) were satisfied with the job security provided. Only 19.5% were satisfied with the social distancing measures at their setups. Less than one-third (31%) were satisfied with the PPE available to them.Conclusions: The participants had good knowledge and practices regarding PPE. The perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 was lower than for contracting influenza; however, they were concerned about contracting COVID-19 in outpatient clinics and emergency rooms. They had poor satisfaction with the measures adopted by hospital managements regarding job security and social distancing

On-Line Operational Database System for UET Power Plant

Abstract. A power station, the main source of electrical energy, is the principal dynamic entity in any electrical power system.  Almost every active part of it generates information alongside its routine functionality. The present day thermal power stations (TPS) are quite complicated employing numerous sensors and control devices. Every sensor in a TPS generates lot of important data. One fundamental rule concerning data is that to be of value, data must be in the right form in the right place at the right time. At present this information is logged into “Shift Point” and “Load Calculation” registers for this purpose. The client – server database system proposed in this research would replace all kinds of data logging that is presently done in the log sheets. In the first phase of development, the operators in the control room would be able to enter the same information into the client-server database they used to write on the paper sheets. In addition to that the system would also provide an advice for sharing of load demanded by the central dispatch office according to the economical load sharing by making and adding some more features

A protection scheme for multi-terminal VSCHVDC transmission systems

High voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission is becoming increasingly important due to steadily rising need for bulk power delivery and interconnected power transmission and distribution systems. DC grids are vulnerable to dc faults, which lead to a rapid rise in dc fault currents. The dc faults must be cleared within timeframe of milliseconds to avoid collapse of the HVDC system. In the event of primary protection (PP) failure, back-up protection (BP) must be applied to clear the fault. In this paper, a novel algorithm based on a Naïve Bayes classifier is proposed to determine threshold levels and operational time frames for primary and back-up protection in multi-terminal voltage source converter based HVDC (VSCHVDC). Local voltage and currents are measured to detect and identify the kind of fault. A four terminal HVDC transmission system is developed in PSCAD/EMTDC and is subjected to lineline faults at different locations and time, to assess the designed protection schemes. Results show that relaying algorithm effectively detects the fault and expedite the primary protection operation. On malfunctioning of PP, BP is accelerated in a short delay of 0.2ms. Furthermore, the relaying algorithm provides faster protection compared to techniques available in the literature. The resulting reduced fault clearance time truncates the maximum fault current and inevitably, leads to reduced power ratings required for dc grid equipment

A Single-Phase Buck-Boost Matrix Converter with Low Switching Stresses

The suggested single-phase ac-to-ac matrix converter operated with inverting and noninverting characteristics may solve the grid voltage swell and sag problem in power distribution system, respectively. It is also employed as a direct frequency changer for domestic induction heating. The output voltage is regulated through duty cycle control of high frequency direct PWM (DPWM) and indirect PWM (IDPWM) switching devices. The DPWM control switches control the switching states of IDPWM switching devices. The inverting and noninverting characteristics are achieved with low voltage stresses and hence low dv/dt across the high and low frequency-controlled switches. This reduces their voltage rating and losses. The high voltage overshoot problem in frequency step-up operation is also analyzed. The sliding mode (SM) controller is employed to solve this problem. Pulse selective approach determines the power quality of load voltage. The validity of the mathematically computed values is carried out by modelling the proposed topology in MATLAB/Simulink environment and through hardware results

Sub-critical water as a green solvent for production of valuable materials from agricultural waste biomass: A review of recent work

Agricultural waste biomass generated from agricultural production and food processing industry are abundant, such as durian  peel, mango peel, corn straw, rice bran, corn shell, potato peel and many more. Due to low commercial value, these wastes are disposed in landfill, which if not managed properly may cause environmental problems. Currently, environmental laws and regulations pertaining to the pollution from agricultural waste streams by regulatory agencies are stringent and hence the application of toxic solvents during processing has become public concern. Recent development in valuable materials extraction from the decomposition of agricultural waste by sub-critical water treatment from the published literature was review. Physico-chemical characteristic (reaction temperature, reaction time and solid to liquid ratio) of the sub-critical water affecting its yield were also reviewed. The utilization of biomass residue from agriculture, forest wood production and from food and feed processing industry may be an important alternative renewable energy supply. The paper also presents future research on sub-critical water

Large Banks of Negative Differential Resistance Nonlinear Loads: A Hidden Threat to Power System Quality

DSM (Demand Side Management) is a short term and comparatively low cost solution for energy starved countries. Replacement of IB (Incandescent Bulbs) with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) has proved its success throughout the world. The same solution, at larger scale, was proposed to Pakistan to mitigate power shortage on short term basis. Accordingly in year 2008, ADB (Asian Development Bank) conducted a study and it was found that replacement of conventional IB with 30 million CFL will result into series of benefits for the stake holders and above all the Environment. The study, unfortunately didn’t take enough consideration of effect of CFLs on the power system being nonlinear device and so the power quality issues remained a secondary consideration. The focus of this paper remains on the effect of such non-linear load on consumers, it also envisages the erratic behaviour of such large penetration of CFLs on direct single phase, three phase, digital as well as electromechanical energy meters, under different loading conditions e.g. resistive load, SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply), half and full-wave rectifiers. It also reflects harmonic pollution caused by CFLs, their effect on power system quality and the registration ability of electromechanical as well as digital energy meters. To this end Harmonic spectrum was recorded up to the 31st harmonic