Performance of floating piled raft with varying lengths in soft compressible subsoil

Conventional piled foundation usually provides adequate load carrying capacity to limit the settlement within allowable limits. However, in deep layer of soft compressible subsoil with settling platform, this foundation system faces numerous problems namely requiring very long piles, lower pile capacity due to downdrag forces, and hollow gap formed beneath the slab of piled structures when the earth platform settled causing services to break and poses health hazard. This research proposed an analysis and design methodology for an alternative foundation system of ‘floating’ piled raft (FPR) with same or varying pile lengths to resolve the problems stated above. The design objectives are to control differential settlement, angular distortion and bending moment rather than only limiting total settlement. The proposed analysis and design methodology bridges the research gaps of using piled raft in soft compressible subsoil. This incorporate long term settlement in the analysis to cater for piles of varying lengths and can be used by practicing engineers for design works. Parametric studies were carried out to verify the proposed analysis and design methodology through modelling of ‘floating’ piled raft with different numbers of piles, lengths configurations, spacing of piles and also different raft thickness. The vertically loaded pile rafts analysed are 3x3, 6x6 and 9x9 number of piles respectively with total combination of 108 cases that cover different pile lengths of same and varying lengths, different pile spacing and different raft thickness. The research findings showed that piled raft with combination of varying pile lengths is generally more effective in reducing differential settlement, ratio of (Δr/rmax), bending moment of the raft and angular distortion (b) compared to pile raft with similar pile length (even with longest piles). The findings from the parametric studies contributed to a better understanding on the performance and behaviour of ‘floating’ piled raft in soft compressible subsoil especially on the piled raft of varying piled lengths. The proposed analysis and design methodology in this research has also been successfully used to design ‘floating’ piled raft foundation system in deep and soft compressible subsoil to support low rise buildings of 2- storey to 5-storey that have been constructed and occupied for more than 10 years. This confirmed the benefits obtained from this research to have a realiable and efficient analysis and design methodology through better understanding of the performance and behaviour of ‘floating’ piled raft foundation with same or varying pile lengths

Ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO)-enhancing HRM practices and corporate environmental citizenship: the mediation effect of organizational ethical climate

Ability, Motivation and Opportunity (AMO)-enhancing is essential for the effective implementation of corporate environmental citizenship. However, previous studies neglect the link between AMO-enhancing HRM practices and corporate environmental citizenship. This has motivated the paper studies the influence of AMO-enhancing HRM practices on corporate environmental citizenship via the mediating role of organizational ethical climate. This study employed a quantitative approach in the form of survey questionnaires. Survey questionnaires were collected from 200 construction companies and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that ability and opportunity-enhancing HRM practices were found to positively influence corporate environmental citizenship. Motivation-enhancing HRM practices were insignificant in this regard. Similarly, organizational ethical climate did not prove to mediate the relationship between AMO-enhancing HRM practices and corporate environmental citizenship. Therefore, construction companies should invest heavily in ability and opportunity-enhancing HRM practices to pursue corporate environmental citizenship. Instead, construction companies can abandon motivation-enhancing HRM practices and organizational ethical climate if they have limited funds to improve corporate environmental citizenship. Ultimately, policy makers should use these findings to create strategies as guidance for the construction industry to achieve corporate environmental citizenship

Elucidating the bonds between organizational ethical climate and corporate environmental citizenship

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between organizational ethical climate and corporate environmental citizenship. Drawing upon Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, this study develops a research framework to explain the relationship between organizational ethical climate and corporate environmental citizenship. A quantitative approach was employed to test the relationship between organizational ethical climate and corporate environmental citizenship. Grade 7 construction companies were selected as the target respondents. Systematic sampling technique was used to ensure that every member of the sampled population has equal chances of being selected as a respondent. However, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. The findings showed that organizational ethical climate is significantly related to corporate environmental citizenship. It also showed that if the construction companies wish to optimize corporate environmental citizenship, they need to prioritize organizational ethical climate. In addition, discussion, implications, directions for future research, and conclusion of the study were also highlighted

Design of New Competitive Dengue Ns2b/Ns3 Protease Inhibitors—A Computational Approach

Dengue is a serious disease which has become a global health burden in the last decade. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or antiviral therapies to combat the disease. The increasing spread and severity of the dengue virus infection emphasizes the importance of drug discovery strategies that could efficiently and cost-effectively identify antiviral drug leads for development into potent drugs. To this effect, several computational approaches were applied in this work. Initially molecular docking studies of reference ligands to the DEN2 NS2B/NS3 serine protease were carried out. These reference ligands consist of reported competitive inhibitors extracted from Boesenbergia rotunda (i.e., 4-hydroxypanduratin A and panduratin A) and three other synthesized panduratin A derivative compounds (i.e., 246DA, 2446DA and 20H46DA). The design of new lead inhibitors was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the enzyme complexed to the reference ligands was minimized and their complexation energies (i.e., sum of interaction energy and binding energy) were computed. New compounds as potential dengue inhibitors were then designed by putting various substituents successively on the benzyl ring A of the reference molecule. These substituted benzyl compounds were then computed for their enzyme-ligand complexation energies. New enzyme-ligand complexes, exhibiting the lowest complexation energies and closest to the computed energy for the reference compounds, were then chosen for the next stage manipulation and design, which involved substituting positions 4 and 5 of the benzyl ring A (positions 3 and 4 for 2446DA) with various substituents

Validation of corporate environmental citizenship measurement in Malaysia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to validate the corporate environmental citizenship measurement originally developed by Banerjee (2002) in the Malaysian setting. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic sampling technique was used, with a total of 251 responses. The measurement was tested using content validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity.Findings – The study finds that all four dimensions are highly suited for measuring corporate environmental citizenship in the construction companies in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications – The study uses a single respondent to report on the organization’s corporate environmental citizenship. The perceptions among the respondents may differ. Practical implications – Organizations can use the measurement for benchmarking current levels of organizations’ environmental degradation as well as identify which business areas are in need to improve environmental preservation. Social implications – This study theoretically conceptualized corporate environmental citizenship as a multidimensional construct containing four dimensions.Originality/value – This study contributes to the body of knowledge by validating corporate environmental citizenship measurement in the Malaysian context as measurement validation studies are scarcely found

Comparison of clinical baseline characteristics between Asian and Western COPD patients in a prospective, international, multicenter study

The study was designed and coordinated by the Respiratory Effectiveness Group (REG; www.effectivenessevaluation.org; Cambridge, UK) and delivered by Optimum Patient Care (OPC; www.optimumpatientcare.org). The following investigators participated in the study: Spain: Marc Miravitlles, Cristina Esquinas, Miriam Barrecheguren, Alexa Nuñez, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona. Bernardino Alcazar, Hospital de Alta Resolución de Loja. Juan Luis García-Rivero, Karina Hueso, Hospital Comarcal de Laredo, Cantabria. Miguel Roman-Rodríguez, Primary Health-care Center Son Pisà. IB-Salut. Palma de Mallorca. Poland: Pawel Sliwinsk Sliwinski, Katarzyna Iwan, Jacek Kolakowski, Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Warsaw. Korea: Chin Kook Rhee, Esther Ahn, St Mary’s Hospital. Seoul. Singapore: Jessica Tan, Therese Lapperre, Karen Tan Li Leng, Nicole Chia, Ong Thun How, Syifa Binte Shamsuddin, Sherine Lim Shu Gim, Yap Chwee Bee, Soh Rui Ya, Singapore General Hospital. Augustine Tee, Jun Jie Yan, Samuel Hong, William Tan, Jessica Tan, Changi General Hospital. UK: Victoria Carter, Latife Hardaker, Andrew McLaughlin, Optimum Patient Care, Cambridge. Malta: Caroline Gouder, Mater Dei Hospital. Ireland: Richard W Costello, Royal College of Surgeons. Dublin. The study was funded by an unrestricted grant from Novartis AG.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

2021 Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Consensus Recommendations on the Use of P2Y12 Receptor Antagonists in the Asia-Pacific Region: Special Populations

Advanced age, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease not only increase the risk for ischaemic events in chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) but also confer a high bleeding risk during antiplatelet therapy. These special populations may warrant modification of therapy, especially among Asians, who have displayed characteristics that are clinically distinct from Western patients. Previous guidance has been provided regarding the classification of high-risk CCS and the use of newer-generation P2Y12 inhibitors (i.e. ticagrelor and prasugrel) after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in Asia. The authors summarise evidence on the use of these P2Y12 inhibitors during the transition from ACS to CCS and among special populations. Specifically, they present recommendations on the roles of standard dual antiplatelet therapy, shortened dual antiplatelet therapy and single antiplatelet therapy among patients with coronary artery disease, who are either transitioning from ACS to CCS; elderly; or with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, multivessel coronary artery disease and bleeding events during therapy

Parental influence and stem career choice intention

The low number of graduated students involving in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers has been causing concerns for Governments all around the World, especially Malaysia as it is impacting on economic progress. The aim of this study is to identify the effect of parental influence on students' career choice. For the purpose of this study, data were collected with a structured questionnaire from 242 final year undergraduate students who are studying the STEM disciplines. The regression analysis revealed that students who received continuous information and support from parents made a lasting impact on their interest in STEM careers. The results examined can be useful for educational policies planning and supply information for further research in careers studies

Validation of corporate environmental citizenship measurement in Malaysia

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to validate the corporate environmental citizenship measurement originally developed by Banerjee (2002) in the Malaysian setting. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic sampling technique was used, with a total of 251 responses. The measurement was tested using content validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity. Findings: The study finds that all four dimensions are highly suited for measuring corporate environmental citizenship in the construction companies in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications: The study uses a single respondent to report on the organization’s corporate environmental citizenship. The perceptions among the respondents may differ. Practical implications: Organizations can use the measurement for benchmarking current levels of organizations’ environmental degradation as well as identify which business areas are in need to improve environmental preservation. Social implications: This study theoretically conceptualized corporate environmental citizenship as a multidimensional construct containing four dimensions. Originality/value: This study contributes to the body of knowledge by validating corporate environmental citizenship measurement in the Malaysian context as measurement validation studies are scarcely found