487 results match your criteria: "Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).[Affiliation]"

Nanocellulose, obtained from natural cellulose, has attracted considerable interest for its distinctive properties and wide-ranging potential applications. Studies suggest that nanocellulose improves the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of conventional cellulose. This review investigates the production, properties, approach, and application of nanocellulose from various sources in agriculture.

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This study evaluates the potential impacts of climate change on Bangladesh by analyzing 19 bioclimatic indicators based on temperature and precipitation. Data from 18 bias-corrected CMIP6 global climate models (GCMs) were used, covering four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)-SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585-across three future timeframes: near-term (2015-2044), mid-term (2045-2074), and long-term (2075-2100). Under the high-emission SSP585 scenario, average temperatures are projected to rise by up to 3.

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The deterioration of Malaysia's flexible road pavements due to rutting and moisture damage presents a critical problem. Meanwhile, disposing of glass fiber wastes from manufacturing process further worsens environmental concerns. This research explores the feasibility of using glass fiber wastes as bitumen modifiers and stabilizers in stone mastic asphalt (SMA).

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Introduction: Heterogeneous Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) causes substantial worldwide morbidity and death. AML is characterized by excessive proliferation of immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow and impaired apoptotic regulator expression.

Method: B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), an anti-apoptotic protein overexpressed in AML, promotes leukemic cell survival and chemoresistance.

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The utilization of X-chromosome short tandem repeats (X-STRs) for human identification particularly in resolving complex kinship cases has been advocated. Since, forensic statistical parameters vary among different populations, and because the X-STRs population data representing the diverse population of Peninsular Malaysia remain unavailable, the specific attempt reported here for the Malays (n = 224) and Chinese (n = 201) populations appears forensically relevant to support the evidential value of the 12 X-STRs markers for human identification in Malaysia. Results derived from the Qiagen Investigator® Argus X-12 kit revealed that DXS10135 as the most polymorphic locus with high genetic diversity, polymorphic information content, heterozygosity as well as power of exclusion.

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Article Synopsis
  • Using new technologies to capture carbon dioxide (CO) is super important for keeping our planet healthy and making a sustainable future.
  • This study looked at how changing certain materials, like using tea waste and ammonia, can make better carbon-capturing materials called adsorbents.
  • The best results came from using a specific method with sodium hydroxide that made these materials really effective at capturing CO, showing it could hold much more carbon than other types.
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The contribution of heavy metals in surface soils by the influences of agro-machinery factories is a significant growing concern. Heavy metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique to assess human and ecological risks. The concentrations of Fe, Cd, Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Mn, Ni, and Zn in soil ranged from 18,274-22,652, 2.

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  • * This paper reviews recent studies on nanocellulose as an effective adsorbent to remove pharmaceutical pollutants, highlighting advances in its production and modifications to enhance its effectiveness.
  • * Despite its potential, the widespread use of nanocellulose is hindered by high costs and challenges in large-scale production, but continued innovation could unlock its practical applications in tackling pharmaceutical pollution.
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  • Maize is the third most cultivated cereal crop globally, and in Bangladesh, it ranks second in production after rice, commonly used for human food and animal feed.
  • A study in the Ganges delta floodplain analyzed the concentration of eight heavy metals in soil and maize, revealing higher accumulations of metals like Zn, Cu, and Mn and significant uptake by maize roots.
  • The findings indicate a potential risk from heavy metals in maize grain consumption, with non-cancer health risks identified for both adults and children, attributed largely to pollution from a nearby coal-burning power plant.
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Synthesis and characterization of etherified cationic starch flocculant derived from Manihot esculenta peel with varying degrees of substitution.

Int J Biol Macromol

November 2024

Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor, Malaysia; Center for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai 81310, Johor, Malaysia.

Cationic Manihot esculenta (ME) peel starch was synthesized through etherification method using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride (CHPTAC) as cationizing monomer. The optimization of the main factors influencing the degree of substitution (DS) was conducted using central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The factors assessed include CHPTAC concentration, catalyst sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration, and reaction time.

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Trace element contamination in water and sediment in an estuarine ecosystem connected to the Bay of Bengal: A preliminary assessment of ecological and human health risks.

Mar Pollut Bull

October 2024

Centre for River and Coastal Engineering (CRCE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia; Department of Water & Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor, Malaysia.

The research, focusing on the analysis of nine trace elements, namely As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn, completely analyzed their quantities in both water and sediment inside the Rabnabad Channel. Samples were collected during the post-monsoon and analyzed by ICP-OES following acid digestion. The mean concentrations of elements in water and sediments are as follows: Fe > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Zn > Cr > As>Cd, and Zn > Fe > Pb > Mn > As>Cu > Cr > Ni > Cd.

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Article Synopsis
  • The research investigates the use of a nanocomposite made from multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets for improving thermal engineering applications.
  • The study analyzes heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in water at various concentrations and temperatures using computational fluid dynamics and artificial neural networks.
  • Results indicate that increasing inlet temperatures and nanocomposite concentrations significantly boosts heat transfer and pressure drop, highlighting the potential of these materials to enhance thermal system performance.
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Recent advancements in bamboo nanocellulose-based bioadsorbents and their potential in wastewater applications: A review.

Int J Biol Macromol

October 2024

Advanced Facilities Engineering Technology Research Cluster, Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (MITEC), University Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Plant Engineering Technology (PETech), UniKL Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (MITEC), Persiaran Sinaran Ilmu, Johor, Darul Takzim, Malaysia.

Article Synopsis
  • Growing interest in sustainable materials is driven by their recyclability, biodegradability, and nontoxicity, with nanocellulose-based composites gaining traction for their lightweight and strong properties.
  • This review focuses on bamboo nanocellulose as a high-performance bioadsorbent, highlighting its extraction, modification, and application in wastewater treatment.
  • It discusses how bamboo's high cellulose content and various modification techniques can enhance its ability to remove contaminants, emphasizing its potential for sustainable and eco-friendly water purification solutions.
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Recent developments in sugarcane bagasse fibre-based adsorbent and their potential industrial applications: A review.

Int J Biol Macromol

October 2024

Advanced Facilities Engineering Technology Research Cluster, Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (MITEC), University Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Plant Engineering Technology (PETech), UniKL Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (MITEC), Persiaran Sinaran Ilmu, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.

In recent years, there has been an increase in research devoted to the advancement of cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials, which are advantageous due to their renewable nature, strength, rigidity, and environmental friendliness. This exploration complies with the fundamental tenets of environmental stewardship and sustainability. An area of industrial biotechnology where cellulosic agricultural residues have the potential to be economically utilized is through the conversion of such residues; sugarcane bagasse is currently leading this charge.

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Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) have been reported to have considerable scope in gas separation applications because of their merged inherent strength of a durable polymer matrix and the exceptional performance capabilities of inorganic fillers. The selection of comparatively suitable polymers with fillers that can match each other and boost interfacial compatibility while ensuring uniform dispersion of filler within the polymer is still intensively demanding and is challenging at the experimental scale. Ionic liquids (ILs) are effective in promoting better dispersion and compatibility, leading to improved separation performance.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on improving smartphone-based retinal imaging technology, which is portable and cost-effective, making eye care more accessible, especially in remote areas.
  • It identifies compatibility issues with existing devices and proposes a universal adapter design for the PanOptic ophthalmoscope, aiming to enhance usability across various smartphone models.
  • Evaluation methods include literature reviews and software simulations to assess the adapter's performance, revealing that the new design can accommodate multiple smartphone dimensions and camera placements efficiently.
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The production of renewable materials from alternative sources is becoming increasingly important to reduce the detrimental environmental effects of their non-renewable counterparts and natural resources, while making them more economical and sustainable. Chemical surfactants, which are highly toxic and non-biodegradable, are used in a wide range of industrial and environmental applications harming humans, animals, plants, and other entities. Chemical surfactants can be substituted with biosurfactants (BS), which are produced by microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and yeast.

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Every year, the global production of plastic waste reaches a staggering 400 million metric tons (Mt), precipitating adverse consequences for the environment, food safety, and biodiversity as it degrades into microplastics (MPs). The multifaceted nature of MP pollution, coupled with its intricate physiological impacts, underscores the pressing need for comprehensive policies and legislative frameworks. Such measures, alongside advancements in technology, hold promise in averting ecological catastrophe in the oceans.

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Even though existing literature frequently finds High Performance Human Resource Practices' (HPHRPs) positive impact on job performance in organizational setting, still it remains short to study unexplored underlying methods by which High Performance Human Resource Practices (HPHRPs) affect employee job performance. This gap is filled by our research, which proposes psychological empowerment as a mediator in the aforementioned relationship. Based on signaling theory, the present study examines the mediating role of psychological empowerment (PE) in the relationship between high-performance human resource practices (HPHRPs) and job performance (JP).

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In recent years, more and more scientific community, food producers, and food industry show increased interest in functional foods containing probiotics, which is a big challenge. The consumption of probiotics in the context of a balanced diet through the consumption of functional foods or through the intake of pharmaceutical preparations has proven to contribute to the improvement of human health, even contributing to the prevention of diseases. In order for probiotics to be considered suitable for consumption, they must contain a minimum concentration of viable cells, namely, at least 10 colony forming units of beneficial microbes per gram.

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The potential of carboxylmethyl cellulose from empty fruit bunch as versatile material in food coating: A review.

Carbohydr Polym

August 2024

Chemical Reaction Engineering Group (CREG), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Electronic address:

The rising demand for food packaging has led to a growing interest in sustainable and eco-friendly food coatings. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), being a versatile cellulose derivative produced from various lignocellulosic sources, has emerged in edible food coatings. This review evaluates the research trends on CMC production from empty fruit bunch (EFB) as a potential edible food coating material by systematic review approach.

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Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal and food plant widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, offering both health and culinary benefits. In this study the secondary metabolites in different organs of P.

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The characteristics of accounting information systems (AISs) within organizations and the factors affecting their effectiveness are investigated in this study. In particular, how external consultants moderate the relationship between the determinants and AIS effectiveness is examined. A total of 167 agricultural companies in the Ben Tre Province of Vietnam were surveyed using a regression-based partial least squares structural equation model.

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Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the neoplastic transformation of hematopoietic stem cells, driven by the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome resulting from a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. This Ph chromosome harbors the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) and the Abelson (ABL) oncogene (BCR-ABL1) which have a constitutive tyrosine kinase activity. However, the tyrosine kinase activity of BCR-ABL1 have been identified as a key player in CML initiation and maintenance through c-Abl kinase.

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In order to accommodate the increased demand for innovative materials, intensive research has focused on natural resources. In pursuit of advanced substances that exhibit functionality, sustainability, recyclability, and cost-effectiveness, the present work attempted an alternative study on cellulose nanofibers derived from sugar palm fiber. Leveraging an innovative approach involving ionic liquid (IL) pre-treatment, bleaching, and wet disc mill technique, nano-fibrillated cellulose (NFC) was successfully obtained from the sugar palm fiber source.

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