Five specimens of Epinephelusepistictus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) were collected from a major landing site located on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia during a fish faunal survey on 23 August 2017. The present study extends the distribution range of E.epistictus southwards from Andaman Sea to the Strait of Malacca. Species identification was confirmed by colour pattern and DNA barcoding (567 bp of cytochrome C oxidase I) of all E.epistictus specimens and nine closely related Epinephelus species. The interspecies genetic distance ranged from 0.002-0.245. This study also presents, for the first time for Malaysia, data on length-weight relationships and otolith measurements. It contributes to a better understanding of taxonomy, and phylogenetic and genetic diversity of E.epistictus.
Analyses of conventional morphometric, meristic and truss morphometric were performed on two
species of Pangasiid catfish, Pangasius pangasius and P. nasutus. The purpose is to find characters that help in differentiating these two species to avoid confusion among fish farmers. Three morphometric approaches (conventional, meristic and truss morphometric) were employed to identify the morphological differences. Conventional morphometric suggested eye diameter, body width, body depth, dorsal fin base length and barbells as characters that have significant differences (P< 0.05) between the species, hence making them as potential diagnostic markers. Truss morphometric analyses approved that P. nasutus have larger dorsal fin base length as suggested by conventional morphometry data. Meristic analysis showed significant difference (P
The dataset presented here are part of the data planned to produce biodiesel from flaxseed. Biodiesel production from flaxseed oil through transesterification process using KOH as catalyst, and the operating parameters were optimized with the help of face-centered central composite design (FCCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The operating independent variables selected such as, methanol oil ratio (4:1 to 6:1), catalyst (KOH) weight (0.40-1.0%), temperature (35 °C-65 °C), and reaction time (30 min-60 min) were optimized against biodiesel yield as response. The maximum yield (98.6%) of biodiesel from flaxseed can achieved at optimum methanol oil ratio (5.9:1), catalyst (KOH) weight (0.51%), reaction temperature (59.2 °C), and reaction time (33 min). The statistical significance of the data set was tested through the analysis of variance (ANOVA). These data were the part of the results reported in "Optimization of process variables for biodiesel production by transesterification of flaxseed oil and produced biodiesel characterizations" Renewable Energy [1].
The role of visual acuity and refractive errors in the academic performance of children is controversial due to the variable quality of the research in this area and the mixed findings reported. This review aims to provide clarity by reviewing and critiquing relevant peer-reviewed publications and also summarises what is known regarding the visual demands of modern classroom environments. The outcomes of this review suggest that while a number of studies have investigated the role of vision in relation to children's academic performances, the veracity of the evidence obtained from the majority of these studies is undermined by methodological limitations. Comparisons between studies are constrained by differences in experimental designs, instrumentation and sample characteristics. Despite these limitations, the weight of evidence suggests there is an association between academic performance and both visual acuity and refractive error in children. However, well-designed experimental studies are necessary to further understand the relationship between these parameters.
This data article is about bats observed from fragmented forest understories interspaced by agricultural plantations, utility corridors, and man-made structures within rural areas of Setiu (Bukit Kesing Forest Reserve and Ladang Tayor TDM) and Hulu Terengganu (Pengkalan Utama and Sungai Buweh, Kenyir) that are situated in Terengganu state, Peninsular Malaysia. Surveys were conducted from October 2018 until January 2019. These bats were captured using harp traps and mist nets that were set 30 m apart across flyways, streams, rivers and less cluttered trees in the 50 m transect zones (identified at each site). All animals captured were distinguished by morphology and released at the same location it was caught. The data comprise of 15 species of bats from four family groups, namely Hipposideridae, Pteropodidae, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. The data were interpreted into weight-forearm length (W-FA) to inform about bats Body Condition Index (-0.25 to 0.25).
Bridges are designed to withstand different types of loads, including dead, live, environmental, and occasional loads during their service period. Moving vehicles are the main source of the applied live load on bridges. The applied load to highway bridges depends on several traffic parameters such as weight of vehicles, axle load, configuration of axles, position of vehicles on the bridge, number of vehicles, direction, and vehicle's speed. The estimation of traffic loadings on bridges are generally notional and, consequently, can be excessively conservative. Hence, accurate prediction of the in-service performance of a bridge structure is very desirable and great savings can be achieved through the accurate assessment of the applied traffic load in existing bridges. In this paper, a review is conducted on conventional vehicle-based health monitoring methods used for bridges. Vision-based, weigh in motion (WIM), bridge weigh in motion (BWIM), drive-by and vehicle bridge interaction (VBI)-based models are the methods that are generally used in the structural health monitoring (SHM) of bridges. The performance of vehicle-assisted methods is studied and suggestions for future work in this area are addressed, including alleviating the downsides of each approach to disentangle the complexities, and adopting intelligent and autonomous vehicle-assisted methods for health monitoring of bridges.
Free-piston engine generators (FPEGs) have huge potential to be the principal energy conversion device for generating electricity from fuel as part of a hybrid-electric vehicle (EV) powertrain system. The principal advantages lay in the fact that they are theoretically more efficient, more compact, and more lightweight compared to other competing EV hybrid and range-extender solutions (internal combustion engines, rotary engines, fuel cells, etc.). However, this potential has yet to be realized. This article details a novel dual-piston FPEG configuration and presents the full layout of a system and provides technical evidence of a commercial FPEG system's likely size and weight. The work also presents the first results obtained from a project which set-out to realize an operational FPEG system in hardware through the development and testing of a flexible prototype test platform. The work presents the performance and control system characteristics, for a first of a kind system; these show great technical potential with stable and repeatable combustion events achieved with around 700 W per cylinder and 26% indicated efficiency.
Mini purse seine has a major contribution in increasing production of small pelagic catches in Pelabuhan Perikanan Pantai (PPP) Muncar. This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of mini one-boat and two-boat purse seine in Bali Strait, Indonesia. This research was conducted in Mei 2018 in Muncar, East Java, Indonesia. In this study, survey was used to get the data by distributed the questioners to the fisherman. The primary data are total catch composition, fork length, individual weight of total catch and operation time of both fishing gears. Data were analysed by main catch and bycatch proportion, legal size proportion and catch rate. The results showed that the mini two-boat purse seine had a greater catch volume compared to the mini one-boat purse seine. The bycatch composition dominates in both fishing gear. The proportion of legal-size catching is 67% of the total. The fork length is not significantly different and for the total catches is significantly different. The catching rate of the mini purse seine one boat catch rate is lower at 4,048.67 kg/hour, compared to the mini two-boat purse seine which is 9,189.18 kg/hour.
Several studies have shown a positive association between variable resistance training (VRT) and improvements in muscular performance. However, the effects of VRT on body composition among untrained individuals remain unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the comparison between of methods of VRT on body composition, muscular strength and functional capacity among untrained male adults. Fifty healthy untrained males (age: 21.5 ± 1.95 years) were selected randomly and assigned into three groups: combined weight and chain (WC), combined weight and elastic band (WE), and free-weight (CG). All three groups completed 12 weeks of high intensity resistance training (70-80% of one-repetition maximum) with three sets of 8-12 repetitions two times per week. Approximately 65% of the whole resistance was provided by free-weights, while the other 35% of the resistance was provided by chains and elastic bands for the WC and WE groups, respectively. Dependent variables including body composition, muscular strength and functional capacity using bioelectrical impedance analyzer, one-repetition maximum and maximum repetitions to muscular fatigue were measured, respectively in pre-test, post-test 1 (week 6) and post-test 2. Significance level was set at P < 0.05. No differences existed among all groups at baseline for depended variables. A mixed model ANOVA with repeated measurements analysis revealed that although there were not significant differences in body composition among the groups (P > 0.05), all groups showed a significant reduction in fat mass and significant increase in fat-free mass during and after the intervention (P = 0.0001), and these differences were insignificantly greater in WE and WC groups compared with CG group. Furthermore, all three groups showed significant improvements in muscular strength and functional capacity during and after intervention (P = 0.0001), and muscular strength and functional capacity were greater in WE and WC groups compared with the CG group, but there were not significant differences in muscular strength and functional capacity between WE and WC groups. However, the WE group showed insignificantly more improvement in muscular strength and functional capacity compared with the WC group during and after the intervention. The results of this study show that VRT has a slightly better effect than free-weight to improve body composition during and after 12 weeks intervention. Also, WE training had a slightly better effect than WC training in improving muscular strength and functional capacity during and after 12 weeks of VRT among untrained male adults.
The research included corn starch (CS) films using sorbitol (S), glycerol (G), and their combination (SG) as plasticizers at 30, 45, and 60 wt %, with a traditional solution casting technique. The introduction of plasticizer to CS film-forming solutions led to solving the fragility and brittleness of CS films. The increased concentration of plasticizers contributed to an improvement in film thickness, weight, and humidity. Conversely, plasticized films reduced their density and water absorption, with increasing plasticizer concentrations. The increase in the amount of the plasticizer from 30 to 60% showed a lower impact on the moisture content and water absorption of S-plasticized films. The S30-plasticized films also showed outstanding mechanical properties with 13.62 MPa and 495.97 MPa, for tensile stress and tensile modulus, respectively. Glycerol and-sorbitol/glycerol plasticizer (G and SG) films showed higher moisture content and water absorption relative to S-plasticized films. This study has shown that the amount and type of plasticizers significantly affect the appearances, physical, morphological, and mechanical properties of the corn starch biopolymer plastic.
The alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is an important consideration in ensuring the long-term durability of concrete materials, especially for those containing reactive aggregates. Although fly ash (FA) has proven to be useful in preventing ASR expansion, the filler effect and the effect of FA fineness on ASR expansion are not well defined in the present literature. Hence, this study aimed to examine the effects of the filler and fineness of FA on ASR mortar expansion. FAs with two different finenesses were used to substitute ordinary Portland cement (OPC) at 20% by weight of binder. River sand (RS) with the same fineness as the FA was also used to replace OPC at the same rate as FA. The replacement of OPC with RS (an inert material) was carried out to observe the filler effect of FA on ASR. The results showed that FA and RS provided lower ASR expansions compared with the control mortar. Fine and coarse fly ashes in this study had almost the same effectiveness in mitigating the ASR expansion of the mortars. For the filler effect, smaller particles of RS had more influence on the ASR reduction than RS with coarser particles. A significant mitigation of the ASR expansion was obtained by decreasing the OPC content in the mortar mixture through its partial substitution with FA and RS.
Sexual dimorphism is a common phenomenon in the animal kingdom. To test the consistency of sexual dimorphism patterns among sympatric species of the same genus, ten morphometric characteristics of mud crabs Scylla olivacea, S. tranquebarica and S. paramamosain were measured and compared using Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA). The descriptive analysis revealed that in all three species, body size dimensions and cheliped dimensions were significantly larger in males whereas the abdomen width was female-biased. Also, we described a morphological variation (carapace width, CW ≤ CW at spine 8, 8CW) that is unique to S. olivacea. Discriminant function analysis revealed that all nine morphometric characteristics were sexually dimorphic in S. olivacea, S. tranquebarica (except right cheliped's merus length, ML) and S. paramamosain (except 8CW). The obtained discriminant functions based on the morphometric ratios (with CW as divisor) correctly classified 100% of adults of known sex of all three species. Further, based on the selected body traits, DFA was able to almost completely distinguish males (94%), but not females (74%), among the three Scylla species. This study highlights that congeneric species of portunids (e.g., Scylla spp.) show similar sexually dimorphic characteristics (body size and secondary sexual characteristics).