Development of a Literacy-Appropriate Health Education Package to Create Awareness of Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

Low oral health literacy has been associated with poor awareness and understanding of oral health care needs among diabetes patients. Specifically, the association between diabetes and periodontal disease is not known to them. Objective: To develop a literacy-appropriate health education package to create public awareness on periodontal disease and diabetes. In spite of the rising prevalence of both diseases, many people remain unaware of their early signs and relationship with each other. Method: We divided the study into three phases: needs assessment, development of the package and evaluation of the package. Phase 1 was conducted via a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) involving periodontitis patients with diabetes recruited from the UKM Dental Faculty patient list. For phase 2, we developed three video clips of 5-minutes duration each, based on the themes that emerged from the FGD. Phase 3 was conducted using a set of self-administered questionnaires distributed to the public and patients. Result: Sixty respondents viewed the videos and at least 95% found them interesting, easily understood, useful and satisfactory. There were however some suggestions for improvement. Conclusion: The health education package developed in this study was literacy-appropriate for the general public and should be made accessible to them.DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v22i3.40

Experimental Validation of Reinforced Concrete Beam Incorporating Coal Fly Ash and Coal Bottom Ash Using Numerical Analysis

The environmental deterioration affected by the disposal of Coal Bottom Ash (CBA) from power stations has worsened as the energy demand has increased. In addition, the increased demand for concrete leads to an increase in aggregate consumption, which contributing to the depletion of natural resources. To prevent the immense amount of CBA waste and the destruction of natural resources, an initiative has been implemented to replace aggregate with CBA in concrete. The Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams underwent a four-point bending test. The test was done after 28 days of curing age. Therefore, this study was conducted to study the performance of RC beam incorporating CBA as fine and coarse aggregate replacement.  The deflection, maximum load and cracking pattern of RC beam were determined. Beam with 100% coarse coal bottom ash 100% fine coal bottom ash resulted to the maximum load at 88 kN with maximum deflection at 18.87 mm. The RC beams were redesigned using the three-dimensional nonlinear simulation software ABAQUS in enable to identify and compare the simulation and experimental findings. The FEA result shows that ultimate load of FEA was within 5% range with the experimental results. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed finite element model accurately predicted the RC beam’s damage behaviour

Experimental Validation of Reinforced Concrete Beam Incorporating Coal Fly Ash and Coal Bottom Ash Using Numerical Analysis

The environmental deterioration affected by the disposal of Coal Bottom Ash (CBA) from power stations has worsened as the energy demand has increased. In addition, the increased demand for concrete leads to an increase in aggregate consumption, which contributing to the depletion of natural resources. To prevent the immense amount of CBA waste and the destruction of natural resources, an initiative has been implemented to replace aggregate with CBA in concrete. The Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams underwent a four-point bending test. The test was done after 28 days of curing age. Therefore, this study was conducted to study the performance of RC beam incorporating CBA as fine and coarse aggregate replacement.  The deflection, maximum load and cracking pattern of RC beam were determined. Beam with 100% coarse coal bottom ash 100% fine coal bottom ash resulted to the maximum load at 88 kN with maximum deflection at 18.87 mm. The RC beams were redesigned using the three-dimensional nonlinear simulation software ABAQUS in enable to identify and compare the simulation and experimental findings. The FEA result shows that ultimate load of FEA was within 5% range with the experimental results. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed finite element model accurately predicted the RC beam’s damage behaviour

Transistor Package's Boron Nitride Film Microstructure and Roughness: Effect of EPD Suspensions' pH and Binder

Boron Nitride (BN) film is increasingly used in various applications like lubrication, releasing agent, thermosetting insulator material, thermal enhancer etc. Limited studies were done on electrophoretic deposition (EPD) using BN particles for industrial application. EPD is potential coating method for automotive, appliance and general industrial parts, because of its capable to do deposition on the complex geometry shape, achievable controllable thickness, easy setup, and low cost process set-up. BN stability in EPD suspension is important to produce repeatability and reproducibility deposition result. EPD process was characterized by evaluate dispersion medium (water, Acetic acid, Sulphamic acid & Ammonia) and binder (PEG, Silane Coupling Agent, Poly cationic 1 – PC 1, Poly cationic 2 – PC 2). Dispersion medium was evaluated suspension stability at different level of pH, acid (pH 2-pH 6), neutral and base (pH 8 – pH 11). Binder was used to enhance bonding strength of the deposited micron size particle on the substrate. The study was used sedimentation test to identify suitable dispersion medium and binder (charging agent) for BN particles. Stability of dispersion and binder medium was selected based on the particles dispersion and settling rate was evaluated by sedimentation test. Our result indicates combination of water medium and polycationic 2 gave the high BN suspension stability and compact EPD film. It also found that Polycationic 2 concentration from 0.2 - 0.7 wt% was increased the surface roughness of the deposited BN film and optimum roughness was achieved 825 nm with 0.7 wt%

Transistor Package’s Boron Nitride Film Microstructure And Roughness: Effect Of EPD Suspensions’ pH And Binder

Boron Nitride (BN) film is increasingly used in various applications like lubrication, releasing agent, thermosetting insulator material, thermal enhancer etc. Limited studies were done on electrophoretic deposition (EPD) using BN particles for industrial application. EPD is potential coating method for automotive, appliance and general industrial parts, because of its capable to do deposition on the complex geometry shape, achievable controllable thickness, easy setup, and low cost process set-up. BN stability in EPD suspension is important to produce repeatability and reproducibility deposition result. EPD process was characterized by evaluate dispersion medium (water, Acetic acid, Sulphamic acid & Ammonia) and binder (PEG, Silane Coupling Agent, Poly cationic 1 – PC 1, Poly cationic 2 – PC 2). Dispersion medium was evaluated suspension stability at different level of pH, acid (pH 2-pH 6), neutral and base (pH 8 – pH 11). Binder was used to enhance bonding strength of the deposited micron size particle on the substrate. The study was used sedimentation test to identify suitable dispersion medium and binder (charging agent) for BN particles. Stability of dispersion and binder medium was selected based on the particles dispersion and settling rate was evaluated by sedimentation test. Our result indicates combination of water medium and polycationic 2 gave the high BN suspension stability and compact EPD film. It also found that Polycationic 2 concentration from 0.2 - 0.7 wt% was increased the surface roughness of the deposited BN film and optimum roughness was achieved 825 nm with 0.7 wt%

Causes of variation order in building and civil engineering projectsin Nigeria

Variation does not only affect labour productivity but also leads to the dispute, time and cost overrun. Consequently, it affects projects performance. It is, therefore, imperative for construction professionals to eliminate unnecessary additional cost from a project so as to optimize the client’s benefit against input resources. This paper identifies and examines the most significant causes that contribute to the variation orders. Also, Nigerian construction industry is used as a case study. Variation orders causing factors were assessed. Questionnaires were administered to clients, consultants and contractors to elicit information regarding variation causing factors. These factors were analyzed using frequency aggregation, mean score method and subsequently ranked according to their severity. The result revealed three most significant causes of variation which are: ‘Change of plan’’ with the highest frequency of 58% then followed by ‘‘Conflicting contract documents (50%). The next most frequent causing factors were the “substitution of materials” and “change in design” each with frequency of 43%. The least causing factor of variation was the “error and omission in design” with the frequency of 10%. Also differing site condition, new government regulation, weather condition were identified as other cause of variation with the frequency of 27%, 29% and 10% respectively. It has also shown that most critical source of variation order is the client due to change of plan then followed by consultant due to conflicting contract document

Structural performance of beam using high volume bottom ash as fine and coarse aggregate replacement

Coal fired power plant produces abundance of by-product in the form of bottom ash and fly ash that can be categorized as a waste which threatens environment as well as health and safety of human life. Every year, large number of coal fire plant wastes is disposed and this put pressure to disposal site as the site could almost reach its design capacity. Hence, innovative and sustainable solutions may require to reduce the amount of waste such as reusing the waste as construction materials for infrastructure development. This paper discuss, the coal bottom ash (CBA) used as fine and coarse aggregate replacement in reinforcement concrete (RC) beams. The RC beams with CBA were tested under four point bending test to investigate the behaviour of the RC beams under bending. The deflection and applied load was recorded while the cracking pattern was observed and marked to evaluate the behaviour and the performance of RC beams. The results show that the performance of RC beam with CBA replacement was comparable with the normal RC beam as the crack pattern and applied load was almost the same

Electrophoretic deposition and heat treatment of steel-supported pvdf-graphite composite film

Polymeric poly(vinyliden fluoride) (PVDF) is nontoxic. It possesses a better mechanical flexibility and requires a lower synthesis temperature, as compared to the piezoceramic counterparts. In order to achieve a competitive advantage against the current piezoelectric sensor, graphite could replace a more expensive silver-palladium as the electrodes for the piezoelectric PVDF. This paper reports the preliminary results on the synthesis of steel-supported graphite- PVDF/PVDF/graphite-PVDF composite films using the two-step process, consisted of the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and heat treatment. The composite films were characterized by means of the optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The heat treated graphite-PVDF electrode deposited by EPD provides adequate mechanical strength for the subsequent depositions of pure PVDF layer and the second layer of graphite-PVDF composite electrode. However, the final heat treatment stage did not eliminate the fine and large cracks of the composite film, which might be attributed to high residue stresses and weak bonding between graphite and PVDF particles in the post-heat treated composite films. Nevertheless, the increase in final heat treatment temperature of the composite film at Stage 3 improved the graphite and PVDF grain alignment, as well as its crystallinity

Waterproof performance of concrete: a critical review on implemented approaches

Permeation of water and other fluids in concrete can result in degradation and other aesthetic problems which shorten concrete structures' life. Several studies have been undertaken to produce waterproofing additives that extend the service life of concrete elements. Consequently, a great deal of repair and maintenance costs could be avoided. This paper aims to review the studies which have used various agents and tests to evaluate the waterproofing efficiency of concrete. The study establishes the taxonomy and construct of research in concrete waterproofing research. Study established frequency aggregation of different additive used and tests applied. The technique adopted by majority of the researchers was the use of surface coating. Water absorption was found to be the most common test in this research area. Study delineated that most researchers focused on the use of polymer-based materials, silicates containing compound, silanes, siloxanes, cementing materials and some nano materials. Finally, study established three classification of additives based on material structure, method of application and additives functions

Investigation Of Copper(I)Thiocyanate (CuSCN) As A Hole Transporting Layer For Perovskite Solar Cells Application

Copper(I) Thiocyanate (CuSCN) is an inorganic hole transporting layer (HTL) used in perovskite solar cells (PSC). This material offers higher stability and reliability compared to conventional HTL. In this work, for depositing CuSCN (inorganic compound) we were using spin coating technique. The annealing temperature of CuSCN is varied in order to analyze the structural and electrical characteristics. The structural characteristics are determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Meanwhile, the electrical characteristic is measured by the I-V characteristics measurement. SEM images show the material surface features such as crystallinity morphology and density. XRD and Raman spectroscopy are used to confirm the coated surface on the ITO substrate is CuSCN. Besides, the I-V characteristic reveals that the conductivity with respect to annealing temperature. As a result, the optimized annealing temperature of CuSCN is 80 °C and showing conductivity of 62.96 S/m. In conclusion, CuSCN has a significant conductivity, hence suitable for the application as the HTL for perovskite solar cells