Do epigeal termite mounds increase the diversity of plant habitats in a tropical rain forest in peninsular Malaysia?

The extent to which environmental heterogeneity can account for tree species coexistence in diverse ecosystems, such as tropical rainforests, is hotly debated, although the importance of spatial variability in contributing to species co-existence is well recognized. Termites contribute to the micro-topographical and nutrient spatial heterogeneity of tropical forests. We therefore investigated whether epigeal termite mounds could contribute to the coexistence of plant species within a 50 ha plot at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Malaysia. Overall, stem density was significantly higher on mounds than in their immediate surroundings, but tree species diversity was significantly lower. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that location on or off mounds significantly influenced species distribution when stems were characterized by basal area. Like studies of termite mounds in other ecosystems, our results suggest that epigeal termite mounds provide a specific microhabitat for the enhanced growth and survival of certain species in these species-rich tropical forests. However, the extent to which epigeal termite mounds facilitate species coexistence warrants further investigation

MagSharp Kitchen Knife Sharpener

MagSharp is the innovation of kitchen knife sharpener that targeted housewife as the main potential user. It is portable and space-saving where it is easy to store and can bring to everywhere for any kind of activities such as hiking, picnic, camping and more. Also, the product is 2 in 1 which it is include 3 different types of sharpening stone and a built-in magnet knife holder. This sharpening stone designed with an ergonomic concept, better safety, minimal style with variety of colour options

Organization support for cloud computing implementation success in education system: scale development and validity in Delphi

Cloud computing (CC) support for learning systems has been viewed as one of the most discussed issues that promise to modernize computing by providing visualized resources as a service over the internet. To be stable in cloud computing acquisition requires an education institution to address many of the same concerns they face in implementing an Information System (IS) service. Currently, there is still lack of CC implementation standard and organizational support that impacted VLE system performance. Previous research has reported that the influence of the CC implementation decision depends on the impact of various factors studied. Nonetheless, organizational support is the least factor mentioned especially studies from Malaysia. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to develop a validated scale of organizational support in implementation decision activities towards CC implementation success. In this paper, the Delphi process adopted to measure consensus among nominal group technique (also known as the expert panel). Key methodological issues in using the methods are discussed, along with the distinct contribution of consensus methods as aids to decision making in education service development. The study has adapted stages of proses flow of scale development and validation of measurement items according to legitimate measures in the Delphi technique. The measurement scales formed are based on literature review and field studies conducted to increase the reliability and validity values. Organizational support constructs were divided into top management support, firm size, awareness, Technology Readiness and cost effectiveness. A total of 5 items have been successfully set up for further validatio

Conceptualising a new and contemporary model for the successful implementation of "continuous" budgeting / Wee Shu Hui, Ibrahim Abdul Rahman and Syazliana Kassim

Budgets have been the most important management control and tool for decades. Budgets are being used to give direction to company by setting the predetermined targets to be achieved. Company used budgeting in setting the rewards, plan actions, allocate resources, coordinate plans across the company, and then measure and control performance against the agreed plan. However, as time pass by, the management and control tools also have evolved. There has been an increasing dissatisfaction with the budgeting practices that was developed in the 1920's where things were not unpredictability like todays. In the present days, we have an environment where the competitive factor between the companies have grown. The increasing complexity in business has made the future more unpredictable. This new environment gives new challenges for a company to control their management. Budgeting models should be able to drive the companies to be in line with the developments of today's business markets that growing to be fast moving and competitive. Aware of the rapidly growing competition, companies have evaluating their budgeting systems. From the evaluating process, there are some companies that are dissatisfied with their budgeting systems. Hence, many companies tried to improve their budgeting systems (Libby & Lindsay, 2010). Additionally, in coping the increasing complexity environment, there is new management and control tools have been developed. One example is the beyond budgeting model. Beyond budgeting is a model that suggests the abolishment of annual budgets and implements tools that are better in managing the company than traditional annual budgets

Image Clustering Technique in Oil Palm Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) Growth Modeling

AbstractDigital images of FFB from anthesis to harvesting stage were acquired and grouped into 25 maturity stages. K-means clustering technique was used to separate the images into three colours clusters that represent three FFB features, Fruitlet, Brown spine and Green spine. The relationship of Hue colour component and FFB maturity stages was established. The FFB was found to grow in three major stages, from week 0 to 5, week 6 to 14 and week 15 to 24. From the relationship a Growth Model was developed and was validated with actual maturity stage. The coefficient of determination, R2 was 0.95

IV-FMC: an automated vision based part modeling and reconstruction system for flexible manufacturing cells

The use of computer vision system in manufacturing industry can eliminate the visual faults due to the limitation of human vision and increase productivity. The aim of the current study is to develop an automated vision system (IV-FMC) to reconstruct manufacturing parts in three-dimensional (3D) model. In the designed system, laser stripes are projected onto an object to be scanned. A charge-coupled device (CCD) camera captures the two dimensional (2D) image from the reflected stripes. Based of the principle of optical triangulation, the distance between the object and the camera is calculated in which the third dimension of the image is obtained. These processes iterate each time the object is rotated in different angles, letting the system to capture the whole view of the object being scanned. A 3D model of the object is then reconstructed by merging multiple range images obtained from the range scanning. A PC-based data acquisition board is designed to control the switching of the laser module. The reconstruction process is automated to form a single 3D surface model of the object being scanned

A review on some factors affecting colour of fresh beef cuts.

This research paper aims to cover the latest information about the colour of fresh beef cuts which is one of the quality attributes, and the factors significantly affecting it. The effects of some treatment techniques used to maintain it, such as dietary antioxidants and packaging under high oxygen concentration as well as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), also reported. The outcome of this review paper revealed that colour of beef cuts is a critical and important visual quality attribute, highly affecting consumer decisions to purchase the cuts. Selection of correct animal diets and presences of some enzymes in the muscles may positively affect the colour. Increasing both lipid and protein oxidation negatively influence the storage life of the colour. To maintain good beef colour, techniques of using natural antioxidants such as dietary vitamin E, ascorbic acid, carnosine and tea catechins (TC) as well as MAP with different methods were found significantly keeping this quality attribute

Pendekatan dan pengaplikasian motivasi agama dalam modul pembangunan diri remaja: kajian terhadap Program Motivasi Alihan Pelajar (MAP)

Remaja adalah suatu fasa dalam peringkat kehidupan yang perlu diberi perhatian. Ketidakstabilan keadaan psikologikal remaja boleh menimbulkan pelbagai konflik dan kecelaruan sekiranya tidak diurus dengan baik. Dalam suatu proses pembangunan diri, remaja akan berdepan dengan pelbagai cabaran yang berupaya menjejaskan motivasi diri mereka. Justeru, suntikan motivasi agama yang bersifat komprehensif dan sistematik amat diperlukan. Dengan menggunakan metode analisis kandungan secara holistik dan pemerhatian, kertas ini akan menghuraikan pendekatan motivasi agama berserta pengaplikasiannya menerusi modul pembangunan diri remaja dalam Program Motivasi Alihan Pelajar. Berdasarkan analisis, kesemua sebelas slot yang terkandung dalam modul tersebut telah menggunakan pendekatan motivasi agama yang terdiri daripada langkah pertama iaitu; pengurusan emosi dan pemikiran dan langkah kedua; konsistensi amal. Kajian ini merumuskan, intervensi pembangunan diri remaja melalui dua pendekatan motivasi agama ini didapati lebih komprehensif dan integratif sesuai dengan keperluan psikologikal remaja. Justeru pendekatan ini amat wajar diaplikasikan dalam membantu proses pembangunan diri remaja secara holistik