Displaying all 3 publications

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Abdul Khalid MS, Khamis NK, Abu Mansor MR, Hamzah A
    Iran J Public Health, 2021 Jan;50(1):24-34.
    PMID: 34178761 DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v50i1.5069
    Background: Conspicuity has been one of the key factors in motorcycle road crashes around the world. The inability and difficulty of other road users in detecting motorcycles either at day or at night have contributed to conspicuity related motorcycle crashes. This literature review attempts to understand the motorcycle conspicuity issues in road traffic. The review also analyses relevant types of conspicuity intervention in terms of its effectiveness in enhancing motorcycle conspicuity that had been discussed in past studies.

    Methods: Using specific keywords and search terms, relevant articles were screened, identified and analyzed systematically using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

    Results: Twenty-seven final articles were reviewed and found that almost every part of motorcycle and motorcyclist's conspicuity intervention have been covered in past studies. In terms of conspicuity aids, the majority of past studies discussed conspicuity enhancement in the frontal area, particularly on motorcycle daytime running headlight (DRH) color and configurations. Few other studies have discussed in other areas, particularly on rear running and brake light and motorcycle color. There were also numerous studies looking at motorcyclists' appearances in terms of their attire and helmet color.

    Conclusion: Motorcycle and motorcyclist's appearances are highly associated with the risk of motorcycle crashes. The most important part of enhancing motorcycle conspicuity is to ensure motorcycle appearance is always in contrast with the road traffic environment.

  2. Taharuddin NH, Jumaidin R, Mansor MR, Hazrati KZ, Tarique J, Asyraf MRM, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 Jun 12;15(12).
    PMID: 37376300 DOI: 10.3390/polym15122654
    Dragon fruit, also called pitaya or pitahaya, is in the family Cactaceae. It is found in two genera: 'Selenicereus' and 'Hylocereus'. The substantial growth in demand intensifies dragon fruit processing operations, and waste materials such as peels and seeds are generated in more significant quantities. The transformation of waste materials into value-added components needs greater focus since managing food waste is an important environmental concern. Two well-known varieties of dragon fruit are pitaya (Stenocereus) and pitahaya (Hylocereus), which are different in their sour and sweet tastes. The flesh of the dragon fruit constitutes about two-thirds (~65%) of the fruit, and the peel is approximately one-third (~22%). Dragon fruit peel is believed to be rich in pectin and dietary fibre. In this regard, extracting pectin from dragon fruit peel can be an innovative technology that minimises waste disposal and adds value to the peel. Dragon fruit are currently used in several applications, such as bioplastics, natural dyes and cosmetics. Further research is recommended for diverging its development in various areas and maturing the innovation of its usage.
  3. Taharuddin NH, Jumaidin R, Ilyas RA, Kamaruddin ZH, Mansor MR, Md Yusof FA, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2022 Dec 15;15(24).
    PMID: 36556760 DOI: 10.3390/ma15248954
    Thermoplastic starch is a material that has the potential to be environmentally friendly and biodegradable. However, it has certain drawbacks concerning its mechanical performance and is sensitive to the presence of moisture. The current study assessed agar-containing thermoplastic sago starch (TPSS) properties at various loadings. Variable proportions of agar (5%, 10%, and 15% wt%) were used to produce TPSS by the hot-pressing method. Then, the samples were subjected to characterisation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and moisture absorption tests. The results demonstrated that adding agar to starch-based thermoplastic blends significantly improved their tensile, flexural, and impact properties. The samples' morphology showed that the fracture had become more erratic and uneven after adding agar. FT-IR revealed that intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed between TPSS and agar. Moreover, with an increase in agar content, TPSS's thermal stability was also increased. However, the moisture absorption values among the samples increased slightly as the amount of agar increased. Overall, the proposed TPSS/agar blend has the potential to be employed as biodegradable material due to its improved mechanical characteristics.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links