Objectives: With the explosion in the use of WhatsApp Messenger globally, the revalence of late-night WhatsApping is poised to show a commensurate increase. This has sparked debates on a possible new wave of technological addiction that could cause serious psycho-behavioral repercussions. Acknowledging the ubiquity of WhatsApp, healthcare professionals have adopted it as a preferred communication tool in clinical practice. This preliminary cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence of and psycho-behavioral factors associated with late-night WhatsApping.
Methods: It was conducted on a universal sample of 307 healthcare professionals across medical and casualty departments in a Malaysian public hospital. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of items on socio-demographics, WhatsApp usage characteristics, and psycho-behavioral attributes.
Results: Majority of respondents (72.9%) reported late-night WhatsApping habits. In multivariate analyses, late-night WhatsApping was significantly higher among those who used WhatsApp for more than 12 months (Adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 4.4, 95% Confidence interval, CI 2.2–8.8, p < 0.001), those who frequently kept
mobile data on to avoid missing WhatsApp messages (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.3–5.8, p = 0.006), those with frequent social connections (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.4–6.4, p = 0.003), and those living alone (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–5.2, p = 0.038).
Conclusion: Late-night WhatsApping was significantly associated with usage characteristics and psycho-behavioral attributes.
MeSH terms: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Personnel*; Hospitals, Public; Humans; Malaysia; Social Media*
This study was conducted to determine the score of self-reported visual function index (VF-14) and its correlation with
best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the elderly population. Participants were elderly aged 60 years and above recruited
from the on-going population-based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity (TUA). Visual
acuity was measured using logMAR chart. A self-reported visual function assessment was measured using modified
Bahasa Malaysia Visual Functioning Index (VF-14). A total of 482 (93.05%) from 518 subjects participated in this study.
Mean age was 69.18 ± 5.67 years old and mean best corrected VA was 0.21 ± 0.17 logMAR. Mean VF-14 score was 89.65
± 13.19. Female had lower mean score of self-reported visual function scores compared to male (meanfemale89.21 ± 12.76,
meanmale90.11 ± 13.65) but it was not statistically significant (z = -1.09,p = 0.277). There was a moderate but significant
correlation between VF-14 score and best corrected VA (r = -0.412, p < 0.01). In conclusion, the best corrected visual
acuity alone was not able to become as an indicator to describe changes in VF14 score. This study showed that it only
contributes 17.2% to changes in VF14 score. The combination of many other factors such as socio-demographic factors
(race, educational status, and health problems), contrast sensitivity and stereopsis should be taken into account when
assessing visual function as measured by VF14.
Rehabilitasi penglihatan bagi murid penglihatan terhad adalah penting untuk membantu mereka menggunakan penglihatan
secara optimum ketika melakukan aktiviti hidup seharian (ADL) dan seterusnya menjadikan mereka lebih berdikari di
masa hadapan. UKM-CHILD adalah indeks ADL untuk mengukur keupayaan murid penglihatan terhad dalam melakukan
ADL. UKM-CHILD mengandungi 25-item soal selidik kendiri dan 7-item pengukur prestasi. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk
mengukur keberkesanan rehabilitasi penglihatan murid penglihatan terhad menggunakan UKM-CHILD. Seramai 40 murid
penglihatan terhad berumur 15.33 ± 1.56 tahun diberikan rehabilitasi penglihatan yang melibatkan preskripsi kaca mata,
alat bantu penglihatan terhad dan latihan penggunaan alat bantu penglihatan terhad. Sesi latihan dilakukan selama 5
minggu dan ianya merangkumi kaedah penggunaan alat bantu penglihatan terhad dan latihan membaca. Pengukuran
parameter kajian iaitu akuiti visual, kelajuan membaca dan keupayaan melakukan ADL (UKM-CHILD) dilakukan pada
peringkat pra dan pasca rehabilitasi. Keputusan kajian ini mendapati purata akuiti visual jauh meningkat sebanyak
empat baris (VAjauh(pra): 0.85 ± 0.05 logMAR; VAjauh(pasca): 0.40 ± 0.06 logMAR; z = -2.27, p = 0.026) dan purata akuiti
visual dekat meningkat sebanyak dua baris (VAdekat(pra): 0.64 ± 0.22 logMAR; VAdekat(pasca): 0.40 ± 0.12 logMAR; z = -5.21, p
< 0.05) selepas rehabilitasi. Purata kelajuan membaca meningkat sebanyak 48% (kelajuan membacapra: 49.58 ± 25.51
ppm; kelajuan membacapasca: 73.22 ± 26.19 ppm; t(39) = 16.67, p < 0.05). Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan terdapat
peningkatan signifikan dalam skor soal selidik kendiri (soal selidik kendiripra: 1.72 ± 0.83 logit; soal selidik kendiripasca:
2.12 ± 1.25 logit; z = -5.129, p < 0.05) dan skor pengukur prestasi (pengukur prestasipra: 0.82 ± 0.30 logit; pengukur
prestasipasca: 2.87 ± 1.52 logit; z = -5.55, p < 0.05) selepas 5 minggu rehabilitasi. Kajian ini mendapati UKM-CHILD boleh
digunakan untuk mengukur keberkesanan rehabilitasi penglihatan.
Early identification of any vestibular dysfunction and balance problem in children is crucial for their general well-being.
However the identification process, could be challenging and difficult as compared to adults. We conducted a preliminary
study to review our initial experience with ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs and
cVEMPs), video head impulse test (vHIT) and Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency II (BOT-2) on healthy children
and also to determine the feasibility of these tests in this population. Twenty one normal healthy children (12 boys and
9 girls), aged between 6 and 15 years old (mean age, 11.15 ± 2.54 years) participated in the study. They underwent
oVEMPs and cVEMPs elicited with bone conduction stimulus via minishaker and air conduction stimulus respectively. All
six semicircular canals were assessed using the vHIT. Bilateral coordination, balance, running, speed and agility which
are the three subsets of BOT-2 gross motor assessment were conducted for balance assessment. All subjects completed the
vestibular and balance assessment except for 1 subject who did not complete the vHIT vertical component. The response
rate was 100% for oVEMPs, cVEMPs, and BOT-2, and 95.24% for vHIT. The mean latency and mean amplitude for n10
oVEMPs were 8.88 ± 0.92 and 2.71 ± 1.29, respectively. The mean latency for cVEMPs p13, and n23 were 13.4 ± 1.35
and 21.76 ± 3.71, respectively with interamplitude mean of 97.57 ± 42.69. The vHIT mean for vestibular ocular reflex
(VOR) gain were >0.85 for lateral canals and > 0.65 for vertical canals. The mean scale score for bilateral coordination,
balance, running, speed, and agility for BOT-2 were 17.52 ± 3.40, 15.14 ± 3.65 and 13.9 ± 5.46, respectively. This study
suggest that VEMPs, vHIT, and BOT-2 are feasible test for vestibular and balance assessment in children. Apart from the
tests findings, it is hoped that the described experienced and adjustment made in assessing this young population could
also be applied by other relevant professional
Inclination towards nutrition beliefs by parents and caregivers plays an important role in the dietary intake of children
with leukemia. However, local studies examining on the nutrition practices and dietary beliefs among caregivers of
leukemia patients are very limited. This study aims to assess nutrition beliefs among caregivers of children with leukemia
and healthcare professionals at the Pediatric Institute of Kuala Lumpur Hospital (IPHKL), Malaysia. This qualitative
study was conducted to assess the beliefs and practices towards certain foods among caregivers of pediatric leukemia
patients. Thirty subjects comprising a group of 10 health care professionals and 20 caregivers were interviewed using
semi-structured interview method. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. version 7.5.6 qualitative
analysis software and subsequently several themes.were obtained. Five themes emerged from this analysis that are
(1) beliefs about foods that can cure cancer, (2) beliefs related to consumption of meat and dairy products, (3) beliefs
towards foods containing pesticides, (4) beliefs that certain food causes itchiness, and (5) source of nutrition information
and nutrition knowledge of caregivers. This study proves that beliefs in various myths related to nutrition and dietary
practices exist among caregivers and health professionals group. Information from these findings can provide perspective
on the beliefs towards dietary practices among caregivers of children with leukemia and healthcare professionals. This
is important for the healthcare professions, especially when planning the strategies for caregivers’ nutrition education
in order to improve the nutritional status of childhood leukemia patients.
Snacks are required for athletes to fuel their higher demand of energy. Meanwhile, social influences and multimedia can
affect the athletes’ choices of snacks. Social influences are divided into three categories: Compliance (sports dietitian/
nutritionist & medical officer), Conformity (friend) and Obedience (parent & coach), while multimedia refers to internet,
magazines and newspaper. The objective of this study was to investigate the different sources of social influence and
multimedia on athletes’ preferred snacks. Out of 26 snack choices, 3 most preferred snacks were chosen by 69 endurance
athletes from the National Sports Institute (NSI) through a questionnaire. They are Popiah & Mixed Fruit Jelly, Chicken
Salad and Egg & Cheese Sandwich. Out of the 6 choices of beverages, the top 3 preferred beverages were sports drinks,
orange smoothie and apple smoothie. Social influence from parent (p = 0.041) has significant effect on the athlete’s most
preferred snack choice, followed by influence from dietitian (p = 0.02) on their second preferred snack choice and lastly
internet (p = 0.024), has its effect on the third preferred snack. Other social influences such as friends, medical officer
and coach show no significance effect on the preferred snack choices. The parent factor also has significant effect on
the most preferred beverage choices with p = 0.043. To conclude, parent influence is strongly related to both snack and
beverage choices of the athletes, followed by dietitian and internet on the athlete’s preferred snack choices.
Daily food intake of women may affect their bone health by altering their bone mineral density (BMD) as the lack of certain
nutrients may affect bone integrity whilst, BMD also can be a predictor of breast cancer. To date, many studies have been
conducted to discuss on association of BMD and mammographic breast density (MBD) and how both are related to breast
cancer risks but no consideration has been made on dietary intake. Therefore, this study was designed to determine
the association of dietary intake with BMD and other breast cancer risk factors. A cross-sectional study on 76 pre- and
postmenopausal women above 40 years underwent mammogram screening and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) for the duration of 1 year. Purposive sampling method was used to choose
the respondents. Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent cancer treatment were excluded from this
study. DEXA unit (Hologic Discovery W, Hologic, Inc) were used to measure BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine in
grams per centimetre squared (g/cm2
) and they were classified into normal and abnormal group based on the T-scores.
The subjects were asked about their daily dietary pattern for a duration of three days using Diet History Questionnaire
(DHQ). The mean of selected characteristics were compared between groups. Additionally, binary logistic regression was
used to determine the association between diet intake with BMD and other risk factors of breast cancer. The total number
of pre- and postmenopausal women who consented to participate in this study are equal. The mean age was 47.1 years
and 54.9 years for premenopausal and postmenopausal women respectively. The results indicate only menopausal age of
the women was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A number of 17% premenopausal and 9% of postmenopausal women
showed to have family history of breast cancer, however, it was not statistically significant (p = 0.12). There was no
significant difference in daily energy intake of food in both groups (p = 0.22). None of the nutrients in daily food intake
showed to be statistically significant. Menstrual status showed an association with BMD with p < 0.05 and the remaining
risk factors did not show any association. Logistic regression revealed that only menstrual status had correlation with
BMD in both groups. This study provided the dietary pattern and the effects on bone health. The association of other risk
factors of breast cancer with BMD were also analysed and most of it showed a negative association.
MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms; Energy Intake; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Female; Femur Neck; Humans; Mammography; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Absorptiometry, Photon; Bone Density; Logistic Models; Premenopause; Postmenopause; Breast Density
Excellent treatment setup accuracy with highly conformal radiation technique will improve oral mucosal sparing by
limiting uninvolved mucosal structures from receiving high dose radiation. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify
the ideal immobilization device for interfraction treatment setup accuracy improvement. A total of twelve oral cancer
patients underwent volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) was categorized into three different group depending on
immobilization device they used for treatment. HFW: headFIX® mouthpiece molded with wax, SYR: 10 cc/ml syringe and
TDW: wooden tongue depressor molded by wax. Each patient underwent image-guided radiotherapy with a total of 292
cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data sets for position treatment setup errors measurement. The variations in
translational (lateral, longitudinal, vertical) and rotational (pitch, yaw, roll) in each CBCT image were calculated. Patient
positioning errors were analyzed for time trends over the course of radiotherapy. CTV-PTV margins were calculated from
the systematic (Σ) and random (σ) errors. Mean ± SD for absolute treatment setup error was statistically significant
(p < 0.001) lower for all translational errors and yaw direction in HFW. The interfraction 3D vector errors were 1.93 ±
0.66, 3.84 ± 1.34 and 2.79 ± 1.17 mm for the HFW, SYR and TDW respectively. There are positive increments between 3D
vector errors over the treatment fraction for all devices. The calculated CTV-PTV margins were 3.08, 2.22 and 0.81 mm,
3.76, 6.24 and 5.06 mm and 3.06, 3.45 and 4.84 mm in R-L, S-I and A-P directions, respectively. HFW shows smaller errors
in almost all comparison indicating higher accuracy and reproducibility of the immobilization device in maintaining
patient’s position. All margins calculated did not exceed hospital protocol (5 mm) except S-I and A-P directions using
SYR. However, in some special situations, such as re-irradiation or the close proximity of organs at risk and high-dose
regions or lower (i.e., 3 mm) margins could benefit from daily image guidance.
The assessment for patient with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation (DDPC) during the inter-stage intervals before first
stage palliation commonly includes imaging of the heart with multiple imaging modalities. Recently, three-dimensional
echocardiography (3DE) was found with the ability to delineate cardiac structure that is able to do 360o
rotation. Therefore,
this study aimed at identifying the accuracy of 3DE colour flow in measuring PDA size compared to computer tomography
angiography (CTA). This study involves randomly selected 26 patients with DDPC undergoing CTA for palliation treatment
in one year. The mean patient age is 1.6 ± 0.261 months with mean weight of 3.65 ± 0.82 kg. The full-volume 3DE colour
flow acquisition was performed and analysed offline using Q-lab software. The PDA diameters at the origin as well as the
insertion site were measured. The data obtained by 3DE colour flow data were compared to the CTA, which was taken as
the gold standard. Results showed that the offline analysis of PDA size was feasible in all patients (100%) with the mean
diameter of PDA at the origin on 3DE colour flow and CTA of 0.51 mm ± 0.14 and 0.52 mm ± 0.11, respectively (p = 0.92)
. The PDA diameter at insertion site on 3DE colour flow and CTA was 0.29 mm ± 0.08 and 0.27 mm ± 0.97 respectively (p
= 0.5). Meanwhile, the measurement of 3DE colour flow is comparable to CTA in measurement PDA size. However, the use
of 3DE colour flow in infants with rapid heart rate is yet challenging to 3DE colour flow acquisitions.
Salmonella spp. is a pathogenic microbial contaminant in beef of worldwide importance. It has the ability to colonize
the gastrointestinal tract of animals without producing any clinical sign. It may lead to infections in human when the
contaminated meat was consumed. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the contamination of Salmonella spp.
on beef carcasses and meat contact surfaces at selected abattoirs in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 152 swabs from beef
carcasses (n = 104) and meat contact surfaces (n = 48) were collected from the selected abattoirs in October 2015 to
June 2016. The collected samples were examined for total viable count and prevalence of Salmonella spp. Salmonellapositive
samples were confirmed by routine biochemical tests and Gram staining. The results showed that all samples
contained an average viable count of 4.56 ± 1.23 Log CFU/cm2
. The overall prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 21.05%
which beef carcasses and meat contact surfaces contributed 11.18% and 9.87%, respectively to the overall prevalence.
The prevalence of Salmonella spp. on meat contact surfaces was higher than that on beef carcasses could be attributed
to poor hygienic practices at the abattoirs. However, despite a lower prevalence of Salmonella spp. on the beef carcasses,
beef could still be a potential vehicle for foodborne infections. This study suggests implementation of preventive measures
and good hygienic practices at abattoirs in order to avoid cross-contamination on beef prepared for retail markets.
Low vision device (LVD) is prescribed to visually impaired (VI) schoolchildren to assist in their learning. One of the factors
that could influence the success of LVD use is the skills of using the devices. The objective of this study is to compare the
reading speed of VI schoolchildren before and after receiving LVD training by special school teachers. Twenty-two special
school teachers attended a series of workshop on the use of LVD. Twenty-two VI schoolchildren were recruited and paired
with teachers for training of LVD in the classroom (in-classroom training). A suitable LVD was prescribed by the researcher
to the schoolchildren before training commence. The total in-classroom training was 5 hours which is 1 hour/week. In
classroom training was based on a module that was developed at the beginning of the study and the teachers used a
checklist to monitor the schoolchildren’s progress. Reading speed in words per minute (wpm) was measured using UKM
near chart before and after completion of in-classroom training. All teachers successfully completed the in-classroom
training session. Results from One-way repeated measure ANOVA test showed reading speed improved significantly after
5 hours of in-classroom training, F(1.6,34.4)= 35.53, p < 0.001, partial ŋ² = 0.63. Reading speed of VI schoolchildren
have improved after completion of in-classroom training. This suggests that systematic training of LVD given by the special
school teachers assist VI schoolchildren to use their device effectively and thus, improved their reading speed.
Food insecurity is associated with an inadequate nutrient intake among older adults. Therefore, this study aimed
to determine the food intake among older adults with food insecurity in an agricultural settlement, i.e. Felda Land
Development Authority (FELDA) settlers at Lubuk Merbau, Kedah. A total of 70 older adults were selected as a subsample
to record data on food supply for a week, from an original study (n = 289: mean age= 69.2 ± 7.4 years). This study was
conducted through a house to house visit of which respondent was interview to get information on sociodemographic
and food insecurity. Food intake was recorded for a week using food supply questionnaire. Food insecurity was assessed
using Food Security Tool For the Elderly. Results indicated that 19.7% respondents had food insecurity. Energy intake
was found to be higher among women with food insecurity (2329.0 ± 814 kcal/day) compared to respondents with food
secured (1836 ± 447 kcal/day) (p < 0.05). However, after removing over reporters, the energy intake among both groups
did not differ significantly (1890 ± 208 kcal/day and 1643 ± 233 kcal/day). Total intake from food groups of fat, oil, sugar
and salt was higher among respondents with food insecurity (106.6 ± 60.0 g/day) as compared to those who were food
secured (80.3 ± 30.1 g/day)(p < 0.05). In conclusion, food insecurity affected approximately a fifth of the respondents and
associated with unhealthy diet with high in fat, oil, sugar and salt. There is a need to formulate intervention programme
to improve the quality of diet of older adults at high risk of food insecurity.
Plantar pressure, force and contact area information may provideinsights regarding stresses imparted to the foot when performing functional tasks. There is limited information regarding plantar pressure, force and contact area when carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using one hand between adults with and without low back pain (LBP). The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in the plantar pressure, force and contact area when carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using one hand between adults with and without low back pain (LBP). A total of 20 adults with non-specific LBP and 20 matched individuals without LBP were recruited according to the predefined recruitment criteria. Plantar pressure (PP), maximum force (MF) and contact area (CA were measured in standing position and during walking while carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using their right hand on a Matscan pressure assessment system. A two-way mixed analysis of variance (group× load) was conducted to analyse the data. No significant main effectof group was demonstrated on both the right and left foot during standing (PP: p = 0.74, p = 0.32; MF: p = 0.17, p = 0.67; CA: p = 0.25, p = 0.24) and walking (PP: p = 0.61, p = 0.48; MF: p = 0.19, p = 0.06; CA: p = 0.16, p = 0.26. Similarly, there was no interaction effect between the loads and groups on the PP (p = 0.89, p = 0.47), MF (p = 0.76, p = 0.83) and CA (p = 0.88, p = 0.20) on theright and left foot, respectively during standing. However, a significant interaction effect (p < 0.05), between the loads and groups was demonstrated on the PP, MF and CA on the left foot during walking. The results of our study suggest that stresses imparted to the foot alters during dynamic postures and this may be a compensatory mechanism. Plantar pressure, force and contact area were similar in adults both with and without LBP when standing and walking. Further biomechanical information that includes both kinematic and kinetic data in lumbopelvic and lower limbs in relation to the foot may be required to justify for prevention and management strategies among adults with LBP.
MeSH terms: Adult; Humans; Malaysia; Low Back Pain*
The environmental bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei causes an estimated 165,000 cases of human melioidosis per year worldwide and is also classified as a biothreat agent. We used whole genome sequences of 469 B. pseudomallei isolates from 30 countries collected over 79 years to explore its geographic transmission. Our data point to Australia as an early reservoir, with transmission to Southeast Asia followed by onward transmission to South Asia and East Asia. Repeated reintroductions were observed within the Malay Peninsula and between countries bordered by the Mekong River. Our data support an African origin of the Central and South American isolates with introduction of B. pseudomallei into the Americas between 1650 and 1850, providing a temporal link with the slave trade. We also identified geographically distinct genes/variants in Australasian or Southeast Asian isolates alone, with virulence-associated genes being among those over-represented. This provides a potential explanation for clinical manifestations of melioidosis that are geographically restricted.
Landfill leachate imposes a huge problem to the environment and human beings. This work focused on bioconversion of leachate to acetic and butyric acids by Clostridium butyricum NCIMB 7423. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was applied and connected to fabricate membrane module. The leachate was collected from Pulau Burung Landfill Site (PBLS), Nibong Tebal, Penang. Prior to fermentation, leachate was treated to remove volatile fatty acid and adjusted to meet the minimum requirement of nutrients for anaerobic fermentation. Synthetic medium fermentation acts as a benchmark to the leachate fermentation. The outcomes indicated that the yield of acetic acid and butyric acid in synthetic medium fermentation was 0.70 g/L and 0.71 g/L, respectively. Meanwhile, leachate fermentation showed that the yield of acetic and butyric acid was 0.93 g/L and 1.86 g/L, respectively. High production of acetic and butyric acid showed that leachate fermentation is a green alternative to produce a cleaner product.
A symmetrical azomethine ligand L was synthesised from a reaction of m-phenylenediamine and o-vanillin in 1:2 molar ratio. Dinuclear complexes of Zn2L2 and Co2L2 have been successfully isolated and characterised through 1H NMR, IR and magnetic moment. The x-ray crystal structure of Zn2L2 showed that the two Zn(II) nuclei were coordinated to two L moieties through the phenolic oxygen and imine nitrogen atoms, forming a slightly distorted tetrahedral geometry around the Zn(II) centres. When coordinated to metal centres, the signature n(C=N) of Lat 1616 cm-1 experienced a shift towards lower wave numbers of 1573-1613 cm-1. The Zn(II) complex was diamagnetic whereas the Co2L2 complex was paramagnetic with 3 unpaired electrons having µeff = 4.07 B.M. An antibacterial screening against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) revealed that the activity of the complexes was more pronounced than that of the uncoordinated L. The complex Zn2L2 revealed the lowest MIC value of 0.56 µg/µl MIC, indicating that it was a better bactericides than Co2L2 and L, in that order.
Weft density and draw in plan play an important role since they affect physical properties such as fabric weight, cloth cover factor as well as seam strength. Weft density refers to the amount of weft yarn in one inch. Meanwhile, draw in plan refers to the amount of heald shaft used and the order of warp yarn through the heald. In this study, plain woven fabrics were produced by using Sulzer Rapier Loom Machine. There were two different types of weft density used which were 15 and 20 weft per centimeter (wpcm) and four draws in plan: pointed, straight, broken and broken mirror. Seams were constructed by using plain seam of Ssa-1, four stitches of stitch density and 301 lockstitches for stitch type. Subsequently, the fabric samples were tested on seam strength by using Testometric tester. As a result of this study, it is proven that weft density and draw in plan of woven plain fabric are parameters that affect the seam strength and seam efficiency. The highest increase in percentage of seam strength was obtained from straight draw in plan which increases up to 17.19% from 15wpcm to 20wpcm. Meanwhile, broken draw in plan has the lowest increase percentage for seam strength which is 6.46%. Furthermore, seam efficiency also shows straight draw in plan gives good fabric durability compared to others. Lastly, it also shows broken draw in plan has no significant effect on fabric tensile strength and seam strength.
MeSH terms: Body Weight; Tensile Strength; Textiles; Physical Phenomena
This study focuses on the effect of boronizing medium on the boride layer thickness of pack boronized 304 stainless steel after surface modification. Pack boronizing treatment was conducted in temperature of 900oC for a duration of eight hours. The treatment was performed using two different boronizing mediums which are powder and paste inside a tight box in an induction furnace. The characteristics of the samples were then observed using optical microscopy and XRD analyser. The thickness of boride layer was then measured using MPS digital image analysis software. The results showed that boronizing medium significantly affected the thickness of boride layer as paste boronized samples exhibited thicker boride layer thickness. The enhancement was mainly due to the size of boron particle in the paste medium which was smaller than powder medium that enabled better diffusion. It is expected that the enhancement of the boride layer thickness would result in further improvement of the mechanical and wear properties of this material.
Sufficient knowledge on food safety and diligence during food handling are crucial to food safety and hygiene practices. A casual approach to handling food in the kitchen on a regular basis may link to foodborne pathogens, contaminations, and adverse health effects. The purpose of this study is to identify the right practices and behaviour among culinary students in terms of food hygiene practices and food safety perspectives. The methodology employed includes observations on 18 food culinary students in an actual kitchen setting. Effective food hygiene and food safety implementation are needed to improve the effectiveness of health education programmes for food handlers. The results suggest that transmission reduction of food pathogens, knowledge transfer and food safety training in selective industry criteria with proper guidelines should be introduced to produce a competent workforce.
MeSH terms: Food Handling; Health Education; Hygiene; Students; Food Safety
The effects of hole size on open hole tensile properties of Kevlar-glass fibre hybrid composite laminates were thoroughly investigated in this work. Woven Kevlar/glass fibre epoxy composite laminates were fabricated using hand lay-up and vacuum bagging technique. Specimens of five different hole size (1 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm and 12 mm) were carefully prepared before the tensile test was performed according to ASTM D5766. Results indicated that hybridizing Kevlar to glass fibres improved tensile strength and failure strain of hybrid composite specimen. In addition, increasing the hole size reduced strength retention of the hybrid specimen from 96% for 1 mm hole size to 62% and 44% for 6 mm and 12 mm, respectively. Fractography analysis showed that several types of failure mechanisms were observed such as brittle failure, ductile failure, fibre breakage, delamination and fibre-matrix splitting. It is concluded that as hole size increased, failure behaviour changed from a matrix dominated failure mode to a fibre-dominated failure mode.