Thermal Performance Evaluation of a Small-Scale Drying Machine for Palm Oil Mill Sludge

Malaysia is one of the major contributors of palm oil production globally with large amount of palm oil production. This has significantly contributed to large amount of palm oil mill effluent that eventually affect the environment. A small-scale drying machine for palm oil mill is evaluated on its thermal performance to assess the suitability of the machine to produce organic fertilizer from the palm oil mill sludge. Evaluation was performed with computational fluid dynamics simulation and experiment on design configuration options of the drying machine. The effect of air flow to the thermal performance was also studied in conjunction with the design configurations of the drying machine. The results showed promising potential of a design configuration over another in term of thermal performance and functionality

Thermal Performance Evaluation of a Small-Scale Drying Machine for Palm Oil Mill Sludge

Malaysia is one of the major contributors of palm oil production globally with large amount of palm oil production. This has significantly contributed to large amount of palm oil mill effluent that eventually affect the environment. A small-scale drying machine for palm oil mill is evaluated on its thermal performance to assess the suitability of the machine to produce organic fertilizer from the palm oil mill sludge. Evaluation was performed with computational fluid dynamics simulation and experiment on design configuration options of the drying machine. The effect of air flow to the thermal performance was also studied in conjunction with the design configurations of the drying machine. The results showed promising potential of a design configuration over another in term of thermal performance and functionality

The effects of arm movement on reaction time in patients with latent and active upper trapezius myofascial trigger point

Background: Myofascial pain syndrome is a significant source of mechanical pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of arm movement on reaction time in females with latent and active upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. Methods: In this interventional study, a convenience sample of fifteen women with one active MTP, fifteen women with one latent MTP in the upper trapezius, and fifteen normal healthy women were participated. Participants were asked to stand for 10 seconds in an erect standing position. Muscle reaction times were recorded including anterior deltoid (AD), cervical paraspinal (CP) lumbar paraspinal (LP), both of upper trapezius (UT), sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and medial head of gastrocnemius (GcM). Participants were asked to flex their arms in response to a sound stimulus preceded by a warning sound stimulus. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA Test. Results: There was significant differences in motor time and reaction time between active and control groups (p<0.05) except for GcM. There was no significant difference in motor time between active and passive groups except for UT without MTP and SCM (p<0.05). Also, there were no significant differences in motor times between latent MTP and control groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in premotor times between the three groups. Conclusion: The present study shows that patients with active MTP need more time to react to stimulus, but patients with latent MTP are similar to healthy subjects in the reaction time. Patients with active MTP had less compatibility with environmental stimulations, and they responded to a specific stimulation with variability in Surface Electromyography (SEMG)

Simulation of U-shaped plastic optical fiber ethanol sensor

The prediction of optical loss in different bending diameter of U-shaped POF sensor towardvariation of ethanol’s refractive indices was investigated using ray-tracing method perform byZemax software. It can provide information on how the propagation ray is perturbed bydifferent bending diameter of U-shaped POF. There are five designs of POF models werepre-drawn with different bending diameter; 2.0cm, 2.5cm, 3.0cm 3.5cm and 4.0cm. From theresults, U-shaped with 2.5 cm bending diameter has shown the most sensitive bendingdiameter as compared to the rest. Either with the presence of cladding layer or not thesensitivity detected was 0.014 x10-4 Watts/Vol%Keywords: ray-tracing; Zemax software; U-shaped POF sensor; ethanol sensor

Ameliorative Effect of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Diabetic Nephropathy in Male Rats

Both types of diabetes mellitus (DM) are recognized by the destruction of pancreas or deficient function of Islets’ cells causing several complications. Diabetes mainly affect the kidney leading to diabetic nephropathy (DN) in the late renal stage, which caused higher mortality in diabetic patients. Since diabetic disease appearance, nephropathy may be observed in patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes. Recently, cell culture can be used in the regenerative medicine as a new method for treating diabetes and DN. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to prove the beneficial effect of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) transplantation on DN during the early stage. Male rats were randomized in 3 groups (each 20 rats): the 1st group was normal rats, while the 2nd was streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats and the 3rd was diabetic rats treated with a single intravenous dose of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) after 3 days from STZ induction. Results indicated that STZ induced DN represented by weight loss, hyperglycemia, hypoinsulineamia, decreased glycated hemoglobin, leukocytosis and impairment of kidney function and oxidative stress in kidney tissue. After BM-MSCs treatment, blood glucose level was improved, renal function was retained, body weight loss was decreased, insulin level and HBA1C percent were ameliorated with improved oxidative stress in kidney tissue. BM-MSCs have the capacity to regenerate and differentiate into insulin- producing cells improving DM and DN

B40 online business platform: e-commerce and life cycle model considerations

A new online business platform is needed in Malaysia. The proposed system aims to provide B40 household income group with the necessary knowledge for increasing readiness in online business, and equip them with access to available financing, e-commerce, and logistic solutions. Prior to project commencement, a review is performed on e-commerce and development life cycle models. The adopted approach includes issues such as client engagement, development team, duration of project, requirement of prototype, and scale of deployment. In this case, a modified Rapid Application Development model is suitable for monitoring project progress and delivery

Mapping adaptation of barley to droughted environments

Identifying barley genomic regions influencing the response of yield and its components to water deficits will aid in our understanding of the genetics of drought tolerance and the development of more drought tolerant cultivars. We assembled a population of 192 genotypes that represented landraces, old, and contemporary cultivars sampling key regions around the Mediterranean basin and the rest of Europe. The population was genotyped with a stratified set of 50 genomic and EST derived molecular markers, 49 of which were Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), which revealed an underlying population sub-structure that corresponded closely to the geographic regions in which the genotypes were grown. A more dense whole genome scan was generated by using Diversity Array Technology (DArT®) to generate 1130 biallelic markers for the population. The population was grown at two contrasting sites in each of seven Mediterranean countries for harvest 2004 and 2005 and grain yield data collected. Mean yield levels ranged from 0.3 to 6.2 t/ha, with highly significant genetic variation in low-yielding environments. Associations of yield with barley genomic regions were then detected by combining the DArT marker data with the yield data in mixed model analyses for the individual trials, followed by multiple regression of yield on markers to identify a multi-locus subset of significant markers/QTLs. QTLs exhibiting a pre-defined consistency across environments were detected in bins 4, 6, 6 and 7 on barley chromosomes 3H, 4H, 5H and 7H respectivel

Phytochemical Screening, Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry Analysis, and Antidiabetic Effects of Corchorus olitorius Leaves in Rats

BACKGROUND: Therapies for diabetes mellitus are still meeting failure in most cases, especially in the developed stages of the disease due to incredible associating complications. Hence, there is a need for continuous development of curative therapies for that stubborn disease. AIM: We aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effects of one of the most popular plants cultivated in Egypt, C. olitorius. METHODS: Phytochemical screening of total alcoholic extract of Corchorus olitorius leaves and its aqueous and chloroform fractions revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, tannins, coumarins, and alkaloids. RESULTS: The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 12 and nine chemical compounds in aqueous and chloroform extracts, respectively. C. olitorius decreased serum glucose level and α-amylase activity. This effect was more pronounced in the total alcoholic extract and its chloroform fraction than the aqueous one. The extracts also adjusted the lipid profile, reduced liver injury parameters, and caused remarkable improvement and increase number, size, and density of functioning β-cells. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of C. olitorius besides its beneficial effect on diabetic complications such as hyperlipidemia and liver injury. The presence of some phytochemicals such as theophylline, trans-2, 3-dimethoxycinnamic acid, 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin, apigenin 7-glucoside, and glycitein may contribute to such pharmacological effects

Sound absorption of lightweight brick containing expanded polystyrene beads and palm oil fuel ash

Bricks are considered as important and strongest materials being used over the years. Commonly, bricks are made of clay mineral and usually used in construction of building wall. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) and expanded polystyrene beads (EPS) as a brick and its suitability as sound absorption material. POFA is used as partial replacement of cement while EPS as partial replacement of sand in the mortar mixture. Various percentages of EPS and POFA have been used which include 0%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% as sand replacement and from 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% as cement replacement respectively. Sound absorption tests were conducted using impedance tube. From this study, it has been identified that for sound absorption test, lowest result recorded is at maximum 25% POFA replacement with 50% EPS replacement with 0.011 sound absorption coefficient at frequency of 3500 Hz. The best sound absorption coefficient recorded is 0.998 at frequency of 250 Hz for sample with 0% EPS and 20% POFA replacement. It can be recognized that the brick produced have the excellent sound absorption