Molecular characterisation of sago starch using gel permeation chromatography multi-angle laser light scattering

The molecular characteristics of sago starch (native and debranched) were determined using a gel permeation chromatograpy multi-angle laser light scattering (GPC-MALLS) method. The method involves the optimisation of sample solubilisation and GPC operating conditions. The weight-average molecular weight Mw of native and debranched sago starch determined was 29.1 ± 2.1 °— 106 and 1.87 ± 0.4 °— 105 gmol-1 respectively while radius of gyration Rg was 123.6 and 59.3 nm respectively. The reduction in Mw and Rg in debranched sago was attributed to the hydrolysis of α-1,6 glycosidic linkages by pullulanase to smaller oligosaccharides

INTEGRASI HISAB RUKYAT AWAL RAMADAN 1442 H DENGAN MODEL VISIBILITAS KASTNER

There is no empirical evidence of the early hilal of Ramadan 1442 H that was observed through technological devices. The justification for witnessing the new moon still refers to the syar'i new moon term, not the astronomical new moon. The country of Brunei Darussalam can be used as an example when the astronomical hilal is not successfully observed, then the beginning of the hijri month is the next day or fulfills the ongoing month and there is no legal tolerance such as the use of the syar'i hilal term to replace the astronomical hilal. The integration of reckoning-rukyat is actually a methodological endeavor to perfect the criteria for the beginning of the Hijri month. Kastner's hilal visibility model is present in an effort to bridge the refinement of the criteria for the beginning of the hijri month. Through the criteria for the visibility of the hilal, Kastner offers a mathematical model that can be used as a role model for observing the hilal. Kastner's hilal visibility mathematical calculation model can be expressed in a curve that can be translated easily. Based on Kastner's hilal visibility, the early hilal of Ramadan 1442 H the hilal cannot be observed with the visual eye. Perukyat's testimony of seeing the hilal at the beginning of Ramadan 1442 H can be rejected by law because it is not based on empirical evidence in the form of a hilal image as a result of visual eye observation. According to Kasnter's hilal visibility model, the visibility of the hilal at the beginning of Ramadan 1442 H reached the maximum hilal visibility with a value of -1.68 for visual observations, the height of the hilal at the same time was 1.56 degrees (height difference between the Moon and the Sun at that time was 4, 46 degrees) with an elongation of 4.70 degrees. Observing the new moon without using tools such as a telescope, will not succeed in detecting the figure of the new moon, because the visibility of the new moon is still negative since sunset.Tidak ada bukti empirik hilal awal Ramadan 1442 H yang diamati melalui perangkat teknologi. Justifikasi kesaksian melihat hilal masih mengacu pada term hilal syar’i bukan hilal astronomi. Negara Brunei Darussalam dapat dijadikan contoh ketika hilal astronomi tidak berhasil diamati maka awal bulan hijriah adalah hari berikutnya atau menggenapkan bulan yang sedang berlangsung serta tidak ada toleransi hukum seperti penggunaan term hilal syar’i untuk menggantikan hilal astronomi. Integrasi hisab-rukyat sejatinya merupakan ikhtiar metodologis untuk menyempurnakan kriteria awal bulan hijriah. Model visibilitas hilal Kastner hadir dalam upaya menjembatani penyempurnaan kriteria awal bulan hijriah tersebut. Melalui kriteria visibilitas hilal, Kastner menawarkan sebuah model matematis yang dapat dijadikan role model pengamatan hilal. Model perhitungan matematis visibilitas hilal Kastner dapat dituangkan dalam sebuah kurva yang dapat diterjemahkan dengan mudah. Berdasarkan visibiltas hilal Kastner, hilal awal Ramadan 1442 H hilal tidak dapat diamati dengan mata visual. Kesaksian perukyat melihat hilal awal Ramadan 1442 H dapat ditolak demi hukum karena tidak dilandasi dengan bukti empirik berupa citra hilal hasil pengatamatn mata visual. Menurut model visibilitas hilal Kasnter, visibilitas hilal awal Ramadan 1442 H mencapai visibilitas hilal maksimum dengan nilai -1,68 untuk pengamatan dengan mata visual, ketinggian hilal pada saat yang sama adalah sebesar 1,56 derajat (beda tinggi Bulan – Matahari saat itu 4,46 derajat) dengan elongasi 4,70 derajat. Pengamatan hilal tanpa menggunakan alat bantu seperti teleskop, tidak akan berhasil mengesani sosok hilal, karena visibilitas hilal masih bernilai negatif sejak saat Matahari terbenam

Preliminary study on current process of bus component inspection among public bus transport in Malaysia

Public transport bus services are generally based on regular operation of transit buses, along a route calling at agreed bus stops according to a published public transport timetable. Types of bus services are urban transport, long distance transport, flexible bus services and specialist services. Buses services are sometimes delayed due to breakdown of the bus components. Therefore, continuous inspection of buses is needed to make sure they are in good condition to avoid any breakdown. The process of bus inspection in Malaysia is mostly carried out either by the bus company itself or sending the buses back to the bus manufacturers. A bus will be inspected daily, weekly or monthly based on the usage of the bus or mileage. A preliminary study was conducted to find out the preliminary screening process of a bus before it is used for a trip. A set of questionnaire with open and closed questions were presented to some of the bus companies through the workshop manager. The survey was conducted on five companies that run regular bus inspections in the country. The results showed that each company has its own process in the course of an inspection. Though there are companies that still use checklist form, there are companies that use special software and conduct online checks. In addition, there are also companies which inspect buses depending on the bus mileage. Mileage for bus inspections should be based on the type of bus service for either a short or long distance. Therefore, a strategic and futuristic plan has to be developed for systematic examination for proper management, safety, high reliability and reduce cut maintenance cost

Capabilities of low cost and fast image acquisition using micro fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle system

Fast image acquisition is most important part for societal impact of a developing country. This paper aims to demonstrate the potential use of micro fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system attached with high resolution digital camera for coastal mapping. In this study, a strip of aerial images of simulation models of coastal area was captured using a high resolution compact digital camera known as Canon Power Shot SX230 HS and it has 12 megapixel image resolution. The low cost supplying of micro fixed wing UAV can be used in various applications including mapping coastal area. The UAV equipped with an autopilot system and automatic method known as autonomous flying, can be utilized for data acquisition. In this study, the UAV system has been employed to acquire aerial images of a simulation model at low altitude. From the aerial images, photogrammetric image processing method is completed to produce mapping outputs such a digital terrain model (DTM), contour line and orthophoto. In term of the accuracy, of measurement, a milimeter-level is reached by ground control point (GCP) and check point (CP) using conventional ground surveying method (i.e accurate Global Positioning System (GPS)). For accuracy assessment, the coordinates of the selected points in the 3D of stereomodel were compared to the conjugate points observed using GPS and the root mean square error (RMSE) is computed. From this study, the results showed that the achievable RMSE are ± 0.018m, ± 0.013m and ± 0.034m for coordinates X, Y and Z respectively. It will anticipate that the UAV will be used for coastal survey and improve current method of producing with low cost, fast and good accuracy. Finally, the UAV has shown great potential to be used for coastal mapping and others applications that require accurate results or products using high resolution camera

Monitoring of concrete bridge using robotic total station

Structural deformation monitoring is used to collect data on geometrical changes that occur within a structure. There are several techniques to carry out structural deformations monitoring surveys. The case study used in this the Sultan Idris Shah Bridge. It was constructed in 1907 and has required extensive maintenance on multiple occasions. This bridge is a vital transit route that is utilised daily by residents to move between Ipoh's old and modern towns. Due to these factors, including the bridge's age, traffic volume, and a strong water current beneath the bridge, it was anticipated that this structure would deform. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the suitability of Robotic Total Station for monitoring concrete bridges deformation. The Sultan Idris Shah Bridge experienced deformation ranging from 1.3 cm to 4.2 cm, according to the findings. The study is based on two epochs of observation with a duration of three months. Monitoring points on the bridge's left side experienced deformation in a south-west direction, whereas monitoring points on the bridge's right-side experienced deformation in a north-west direction. The Robotic Total Station (RTS) employed in this study demonstrates that geometrical movement may be detected with centimetre-level accuracy. The findings propose a technique for future monitoring efforts that might be used to guide the application of RTS in structural monitoring

Design of the goat/sheep holding cage slaughtering system (cage for animal slaughter): innovations and prospect

The main objective of inventing the goat/sheep holding cage-slaughtering mechanism or cage for animal slaughter was to seek solutions for the slaughtering mechanism from the traditional operation with four to five persons manning it to a one-person operation. The development of this innovation is for Chak Chee Bor Enterprise. This mechanism consists of a goat/sheep holding cage of 1.23m (height) X 1.60m (length) X 0.97m (width). The overall purpose of using this goat/sheep holding cage is to keep the goat/sheep calm, whilst minimizing the danger of unnecessary injury to both the animal and worker. The goat/sheep holding cage-slaughtering mechanism consists of a head latch (neck yoke or head gate) to hold the animal‘s neck and head, and two wooden boards to hold or gently clamp the body of the animal, with the purpose to calm the animal and ensure that it does not move. The round-shaped iron pieces at the end of both sides of the holding cage enable the mechanism to be swung aside or tilted at a 45o angle before the final stage of the ritual. This holding cage-slaughtering mechanism that comes with an adjustable head latch is able to accommodate different sizes of animals

Gamma irradiation of corn starches with different amylose-to-amylopectin ratio

Corn starches with different amylose-to-amylopectin ratio (waxy, normal, Hylon V, and Hylon VII) were treated with five doses of gamma irradiation (1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 kGy). The effects of gamma irradiation on the physicochemical properties of starch samples were investigated. Waxy samples showed an increase of amylose-like fractions when irradiated at 10 kGy. The reduction in apparent amylose content increased with amylose content when underwent irradiation at 25 and 50 kGy. Low amylose starches lost their pasting ability when irradiated at 25 and 50 kGy. Results from thermal behavior and pasting profile suggested that low level of cross-linking occurred in Hylon VII samples irradiated at 5 kGy. Severe reduction in pasting properties, gelatinization temperatures and relative crystallinity with increasing irradiation intensity revealed that waxy samples were affected more by gamma irradiation; this also indicated amylopectin was the starch fraction most affected by gamma irradiation. Alteration level was portrayed differently when different kind of physicochemical properties were investigated, in which the pasting properties and crystallinity of starches were more immensely influenced by gamma irradiation while thermal behavior was less affected. Despite the irradiation level, the morphology and crystal pattern of starch granules were found remain unchanged by irradiation

Study on handing process and quality degradation of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The study employs exploratory and descriptive design, with quantitative approach and purposive sampling using self-administrated questionnaires, were obtained from 30 smallholder respondents from the Southern Region, Peninsular Malaysia. The study reveals that there was a convincing relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The main handling process factors influencing quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) were harvesting activity and handling at the plantation area. As a result, it can be deduced that the handling process factors variable explains 82.80% of the variance that reflects the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The overall findings reveal that the handling process factors do play a significant role in the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

Southeast asian medicinal plants as a potential source of antituberculosis agent

Despite all of the control strategies, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major cause of death globally and one-third of the world’s population is infected with TB. The drugs used for TB treatment have drawbacks of causing adverse side effects and emergence of resistance strains. Plant-derived medicines have since been used in traditional medical system for the treatment of numerous ailments worldwide. There were nine major review publications on antimycobacteria from plants in the last 17 years. However, none is focused on Southeast Asian medicinal plants. Hence, this review is aimed at highlighting the medicinal plants of Southeast Asian origin evaluated for anti-TB. This review is based on literatures published in various electronic database. A total of 132 plants species representing 45 families and 107 genera were reviewed; 27 species representing 20.5% exhibited most significant in vitro anti-TB activity (crude extracts and/or bioactive compounds 0–<1

Solving cracking phenomenon in premium transparent toilet soap production using Stretched LLDPE Film Wrap

Cracking phenomenon in soap production is an imminent problem. It renders the soap aesthetically unpleasing. This study attempts to find best solution to solve cracking phenomenon in premium soap production. The adopted approach is a stamping method with stretched LLDPE wrap film. The result shows that stretched LLDPE wrap film able to solve the cracking problem. The appearance of the premium transparent was improved. This paper presents the results and the SOP for stretched LLDPE film wrap for soap making industries to adopt