Improved rice varieties(IRVs)play a significant role in establishing food security and improving livelihood in the Global South since its introduction in the 1960s.However,the adoption of new IRVs has remained relativ...Improved rice varieties(IRVs)play a significant role in establishing food security and improving livelihood in the Global South since its introduction in the 1960s.However,the adoption of new IRVs has remained relatively low.This low adoption poses a challenge to rice-producing and consuming countries as they are increasingly threatened by production shortages,malnutrition,and poor rice quality.Many empirical studies have attempted to identify the determinants influencing the adoption of IRVs by distinguishing the characteristics between adopters and non-adopters.This review showed a consensus on the important determinants influencing the adoption of IRVs in the Global South.Findings synthesized from 99 studies suggested that variables(farm size,education,information access and farm location)examined extensively are not necessarily the most important determinants of adoption when undertaking a weighted analysis.Terrain,source of seed and technology-related attributes(perceived yield,maturity,ease of use,marketability and technical efficiency)are more important determinants of adoption,with determinants changing according to adoption type(probability or intensity of adoption),variety type and region.The recommendations for future adoption studies include:incorporating more technology-specific variables,increasing research for overlooked regions and variety types,shifting away from predominant static analysis by capturing the dynamics of the adoption process,and considering the potential biases in analyses.This review will facilitate the development of targeted interventions and policies that promote IRV adoption in the Global South.展开更多
Pure commercial titanium was welded with two types of stainless steel,namely SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel and SUS 821L1 duplex stainless steel.The wavy interface of SUS 821L1 was smaller than that of SUS 304.The...Pure commercial titanium was welded with two types of stainless steel,namely SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel and SUS 821L1 duplex stainless steel.The wavy interface of SUS 821L1 was smaller than that of SUS 304.The vortex zone was observed from both longitudinal and transverse directions,and its composition was analyzed.The interface of Ti/SUS 821L11 was able to bear 401−431 MPa shear load while that of Ti/SUS 304 could withstand 352−387 MPa.The weldability window was used to analyze experimental phenomenon.Furthermore,the smoothed particle hydrodynamics(SPH)numerical simulation method was used to simulate the wavy interface.The trend of wavelength and amplitude change with strength and the stand-offs was consistent with the experimental results.展开更多
Biopolymer composite has gained huge attention for its beneficial properties such as biodegradable and less impact to the environment.This consequently would diminish the dependency on the petroleum-based polymer.Abun...Biopolymer composite has gained huge attention for its beneficial properties such as biodegradable and less impact to the environment.This consequently would diminish the dependency on the petroleum-based polymer.Abundance of studies have been done on the development and characterization of biopolymer composite materials for food packaging application,but work on the conceptual design of biopolymer composite packaging product is hardly found.Using the Kano Model,Quality Function Deployment for Environment(QFDE),morphological map,and Analytic Hierarchy Method(AHP)framework combination,this paper presents the conceptual design of a natural fibre reinforced biopolymer composites take-out food container.To understand customer satisfaction with the current use of takeout food containers,the Kano model was applied,and the findings were integrated into QFDE.The highest weight of voices of customer and environment(VOCE)as the solution parameters for the design characteristics were later refined using the aid of morphological chart(MC)to systematically develop conceptual designs.Lastly,AHP was utilized to pick the final concept design.The concept design with the highest score(8.3%)was chosen as the final conceptual design.展开更多
Background:Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that has troubled a sizeable population.There is an active area of research on obstructive sleep apnea that intends to better understand airflow behaviors and ...Background:Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that has troubled a sizeable population.There is an active area of research on obstructive sleep apnea that intends to better understand airflow behaviors and therefore treat patients more effectively.This paper aims to investigate the airflow characteristics of the upper airway in an obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)patient under light and heavy breathing conditions by using Turbulent Kinetic Energy(TKE),an accurate method in expressing the flow concentration mechanisms of sleeping disorders.It is important to visualize the concentration of flow in the upper airway in order to identify the severity level of the obstruction during sleep.Methods:Computational fluid dynamic(CFD)analysis was used as a solution tool to evaluate the airflow during light and heavy breathing conditions.A medical imaging technique was used to extract the 3D model from the CT scan images.Additionally,mesh generation and simulation were carried out via CFD software to evaluate the light and heavy breathing characteristics related to obstructive sleep apnea.Steady state Reynold’s averaged Navier-Stoke(RANS)with the k-ωshear stress transport(SST)turbulence model was utilized.The airflow characteristics were quantified using parameters such as pressure distribution,skin friction coefficient,velocity profile,Reynolds number,turbulent Reynolds number and turbulence kinetic energy.Results:Contour plots at different planes were used to visualize the airflow distribution as it passed through different cross-sectional areas of the airway.The results revealed that the presence of a smaller cross-sectional area of the airway caused an increase in airflow parameters,especially during heavy breathing.Furthermore,turbulent airflow conditions along the airway were noticed during heavy breathing.The severity of OSA could be measured by the turbulent kinetic energy which is able to show the behavior and concentration of mean flow.This study is expected to provide crucial and important results by visualizing the concentration of airflow mechanisms and characteristics of a patient’s airway during light and heavy breathing. These findings enable TKE to be used as a new tool for characterizing theseverity of obstructive sleep apnea in the upper airways of patients.展开更多
The fruit industry has been known as one of the largest businesses in Malaysia,where most of the fruits pass through the peeling process well in advance before the final product as juice in a bottle or slices in a can...The fruit industry has been known as one of the largest businesses in Malaysia,where most of the fruits pass through the peeling process well in advance before the final product as juice in a bottle or slices in a can.The current industrial fruit peeling techniques are passive and inefficient by cutting parts of the pulp of the fruit with peels leading to losses.To avoid this issue,a multi-axis CNC fruit peeler can be used to precisely peel the outer layer with the guidance of a 3D virtual model of fruit.In this work,a new cost-effective method of 3D image reconstruction was developed to convert 36 fruit images captured by a normal RGB camera to a 3D model by capturing a single image every 10 degrees of fruit rotation along a fixed axis.The point cloud data extracted with edge detection were passed to Blender 3D software for meshing in different approaches.The vertical link frame meshing method developed in this research proved a qualitative similarity between the output result and the scanned fruit in a processing time of less than 50 seconds.展开更多
Due to their excellent dielectric properties and the rapid response to microwave irradiation,silicon carbide nanowhiskers(SiCNWs)were employed as microwave susceptor in this study to absorb microwave and locally melt ...Due to their excellent dielectric properties and the rapid response to microwave irradiation,silicon carbide nanowhiskers(SiCNWs)were employed as microwave susceptor in this study to absorb microwave and locally melt the surrounding polypropylene(PP)substrates for the joining of PP substrates.Complete welded joint is formed after the melted PP was cooled and resolidified.Other than microwave susceptor,SiCNWs also acted as the nanofillers in strengthening the welded joint through the formation of SiCNWs reinforced PP nanocomposite at the interface of PP substrates.Besides,the effect of microwave power on the microwave welding of PP substrates using SiCNWs as susceptor was studied and reported.It was found that the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of the welded joint improved as microwave power increased.However,it deteriorates the flexibility of the welded joint as high stiffness SiCNWs were incorporated deeper into the PP matrix which restricted the PP chain mobility.Aside from microwave power,clamping pressure is also critical in determining the mechanical properties of a welded joint.When compared to unclamped welded joint,the tensile strength,modulus of elasticity and flexibility of welded joint subjected to clamping pressure improved drastically.Moreover,the tensile strength of welded joint increased when the clamping pressure was increased from P1 to P3,but decreased when the clamping pressure was further increased to P4 due to the occurrence of flashing at welded joint.The formation mechanism of SiCNWs reinforced PP welded joint was also proposed in this study.Compared to conventional welding,this welding process is easy,straightforward and is able to produce welded joint with outstanding mechanical properties via precise controlling of the processing parameters.Thus,microwave welding is thought to offer an option for the joining of thermoplastics and other applications.展开更多
文摘Improved rice varieties(IRVs)play a significant role in establishing food security and improving livelihood in the Global South since its introduction in the 1960s.However,the adoption of new IRVs has remained relatively low.This low adoption poses a challenge to rice-producing and consuming countries as they are increasingly threatened by production shortages,malnutrition,and poor rice quality.Many empirical studies have attempted to identify the determinants influencing the adoption of IRVs by distinguishing the characteristics between adopters and non-adopters.This review showed a consensus on the important determinants influencing the adoption of IRVs in the Global South.Findings synthesized from 99 studies suggested that variables(farm size,education,information access and farm location)examined extensively are not necessarily the most important determinants of adoption when undertaking a weighted analysis.Terrain,source of seed and technology-related attributes(perceived yield,maturity,ease of use,marketability and technical efficiency)are more important determinants of adoption,with determinants changing according to adoption type(probability or intensity of adoption),variety type and region.The recommendations for future adoption studies include:incorporating more technology-specific variables,increasing research for overlooked regions and variety types,shifting away from predominant static analysis by capturing the dynamics of the adoption process,and considering the potential biases in analyses.This review will facilitate the development of targeted interventions and policies that promote IRV adoption in the Global South.
文摘Pure commercial titanium was welded with two types of stainless steel,namely SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel and SUS 821L1 duplex stainless steel.The wavy interface of SUS 821L1 was smaller than that of SUS 304.The vortex zone was observed from both longitudinal and transverse directions,and its composition was analyzed.The interface of Ti/SUS 821L11 was able to bear 401−431 MPa shear load while that of Ti/SUS 304 could withstand 352−387 MPa.The weldability window was used to analyze experimental phenomenon.Furthermore,the smoothed particle hydrodynamics(SPH)numerical simulation method was used to simulate the wavy interface.The trend of wavelength and amplitude change with strength and the stand-offs was consistent with the experimental results.
基金The authors would like to express the highest appreciation to the Malaysia Public Service Department(JPA)for the study sponsorship given to the main author and the financial support provided through Universiti Putra Malaysia Grant Scheme HICoE(Vote Number 6369107)from the Ministry of Education Malaysia.
文摘Biopolymer composite has gained huge attention for its beneficial properties such as biodegradable and less impact to the environment.This consequently would diminish the dependency on the petroleum-based polymer.Abundance of studies have been done on the development and characterization of biopolymer composite materials for food packaging application,but work on the conceptual design of biopolymer composite packaging product is hardly found.Using the Kano Model,Quality Function Deployment for Environment(QFDE),morphological map,and Analytic Hierarchy Method(AHP)framework combination,this paper presents the conceptual design of a natural fibre reinforced biopolymer composites take-out food container.To understand customer satisfaction with the current use of takeout food containers,the Kano model was applied,and the findings were integrated into QFDE.The highest weight of voices of customer and environment(VOCE)as the solution parameters for the design characteristics were later refined using the aid of morphological chart(MC)to systematically develop conceptual designs.Lastly,AHP was utilized to pick the final concept design.The concept design with the highest score(8.3%)was chosen as the final conceptual design.
基金This work is supported by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme provided by the Ministry of Higher Education(Ref.No.FRGS/1/2020/TK0/UNIMAP/03/26)and University of Malaya Grant(Ref.No.GPF020A-2019)The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through the General Research Project GRP/281/42.
文摘Background:Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that has troubled a sizeable population.There is an active area of research on obstructive sleep apnea that intends to better understand airflow behaviors and therefore treat patients more effectively.This paper aims to investigate the airflow characteristics of the upper airway in an obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)patient under light and heavy breathing conditions by using Turbulent Kinetic Energy(TKE),an accurate method in expressing the flow concentration mechanisms of sleeping disorders.It is important to visualize the concentration of flow in the upper airway in order to identify the severity level of the obstruction during sleep.Methods:Computational fluid dynamic(CFD)analysis was used as a solution tool to evaluate the airflow during light and heavy breathing conditions.A medical imaging technique was used to extract the 3D model from the CT scan images.Additionally,mesh generation and simulation were carried out via CFD software to evaluate the light and heavy breathing characteristics related to obstructive sleep apnea.Steady state Reynold’s averaged Navier-Stoke(RANS)with the k-ωshear stress transport(SST)turbulence model was utilized.The airflow characteristics were quantified using parameters such as pressure distribution,skin friction coefficient,velocity profile,Reynolds number,turbulent Reynolds number and turbulence kinetic energy.Results:Contour plots at different planes were used to visualize the airflow distribution as it passed through different cross-sectional areas of the airway.The results revealed that the presence of a smaller cross-sectional area of the airway caused an increase in airflow parameters,especially during heavy breathing.Furthermore,turbulent airflow conditions along the airway were noticed during heavy breathing.The severity of OSA could be measured by the turbulent kinetic energy which is able to show the behavior and concentration of mean flow.This study is expected to provide crucial and important results by visualizing the concentration of airflow mechanisms and characteristics of a patient’s airway during light and heavy breathing. These findings enable TKE to be used as a new tool for characterizing theseverity of obstructive sleep apnea in the upper airways of patients.
基金the support from the University-Private Matching Fund(UniPRIMA)from the Research Management CentreUniMAPWalta Engineering Sdn.Bhd.
文摘The fruit industry has been known as one of the largest businesses in Malaysia,where most of the fruits pass through the peeling process well in advance before the final product as juice in a bottle or slices in a can.The current industrial fruit peeling techniques are passive and inefficient by cutting parts of the pulp of the fruit with peels leading to losses.To avoid this issue,a multi-axis CNC fruit peeler can be used to precisely peel the outer layer with the guidance of a 3D virtual model of fruit.In this work,a new cost-effective method of 3D image reconstruction was developed to convert 36 fruit images captured by a normal RGB camera to a 3D model by capturing a single image every 10 degrees of fruit rotation along a fixed axis.The point cloud data extracted with edge detection were passed to Blender 3D software for meshing in different approaches.The vertical link frame meshing method developed in this research proved a qualitative similarity between the output result and the scanned fruit in a processing time of less than 50 seconds.
基金financially supported by the Department of Education,Ministry of Education Malaysia(MOE)through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS/1/2019/TK05/UNIMAP/02/7)[FRGS 9003-00729]。
文摘Due to their excellent dielectric properties and the rapid response to microwave irradiation,silicon carbide nanowhiskers(SiCNWs)were employed as microwave susceptor in this study to absorb microwave and locally melt the surrounding polypropylene(PP)substrates for the joining of PP substrates.Complete welded joint is formed after the melted PP was cooled and resolidified.Other than microwave susceptor,SiCNWs also acted as the nanofillers in strengthening the welded joint through the formation of SiCNWs reinforced PP nanocomposite at the interface of PP substrates.Besides,the effect of microwave power on the microwave welding of PP substrates using SiCNWs as susceptor was studied and reported.It was found that the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of the welded joint improved as microwave power increased.However,it deteriorates the flexibility of the welded joint as high stiffness SiCNWs were incorporated deeper into the PP matrix which restricted the PP chain mobility.Aside from microwave power,clamping pressure is also critical in determining the mechanical properties of a welded joint.When compared to unclamped welded joint,the tensile strength,modulus of elasticity and flexibility of welded joint subjected to clamping pressure improved drastically.Moreover,the tensile strength of welded joint increased when the clamping pressure was increased from P1 to P3,but decreased when the clamping pressure was further increased to P4 due to the occurrence of flashing at welded joint.The formation mechanism of SiCNWs reinforced PP welded joint was also proposed in this study.Compared to conventional welding,this welding process is easy,straightforward and is able to produce welded joint with outstanding mechanical properties via precise controlling of the processing parameters.Thus,microwave welding is thought to offer an option for the joining of thermoplastics and other applications.