Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 51 54 - MAGNETICALLY RETRIEVABLE IRON OXIDE-SILICA CORE-SHELL SUPPORTED PALLADIUM(II) COMPLEX AS POTENTIAL SUPPORTED CATALYST FOR MIZOROKI-HECK CATALYTIC REACTION WAN FATIHAH KHAIRUNISA WAN NORa , SITI KAMILAH CHE SOHa* , HASSANAIN HAFIZ MOHD ASNANa & NAZRIZAWATI AHMAD TAJUDDINb a Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] b School of Chemistry and Environment,Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia [email protected] *[email protected] ABSTRACT A retrievable palladium(II) complex functionalized with iron oxide-silica core-shell (IONPs@SiO2-Pd) was successfully synthesized via simplistic multistep synthesis. This supported catalyst used magnetite (IONPs) as solid support, which makes its versatile and easy to isolate by withholding using an external magnet. The IONPs was initially prepared via co-precipitation method by mixing FeCl3.6H2O and FeCl2.4H2O. Then it was coated with silica layer, giving IONPs@SiO2. Separately, the reaction was furthered with a Schiff base ligand preparation between salicylaldehyde and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The corresponding palladium(II) complex was successfully synthesized through the complexation reaction between palladium(II) acetate and Schiff base ligand in a 1:2 molar ratio. This was followed by functionalization on magnetite to produce IONPs@SiO2-Pd. In order to confirm the successfully obtained IONPs@SiO2-Pd, analyses of FTIR, NMR, XRD, BET, VSM and TGA were performed for physicochemical characterizations. As can be seen, the strong absorption band at 539 cm -1 attributed to the appearance of Fe-O stretching vibration which related to magnetite phase. The 1H NMR spectrum of Schiff base ligand confirmed the appearance of both upfield and downfield resonances for aliphatic and aromatic signals. The XRD pattern of IONPs@SiO2-Pd assigned the crystalline structure with specific surface area, 53.21 m2 /g. Therefore, the saturation magnetization reduced to 34.64 emu/g, indicated the functionalization of catalyst and the IONPs@SiO2-Pd has found to be stable up to 200 °C. The non-uniform distributed and agglomerated nanoparticles were exhibited by FESEM/EDX. The ICP-OES data revealed that the amount of palladium loading is 0.0936 mmol/g. The preliminary catalytic tests showed that the desired Heck products were readily produced by IONPs@SiO2-Pd with the aryl bromide and methyl acrylate. The retrievable IONPs@SiO2-Pd was easily recovered via simple filtration and reused up to 5 successive runs without considerable loss of its catalytic activity. Keywords: magnetite; supported catalyst; palladium(II) complex; cross-coupling; Mizoroki-Heck reaction
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 52 55 - EFFECT OF DOPED POLYANILINE IN ADSORPTION-DESORPTION PROCESS DURING ACETONE DETECTION Raihana Bahru Insitute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]) Acetone, a group of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), harms the environment and human health. This work focuses on developing acetone detection materials for safety precautions. However, the main challenge of this type of gas sensor is the operation of high temperature (greater than 200°C), which is barely practical for high-risk conditions. Therefore, this study proposes an attractive approach for designing sensing materials to operate at a lowered operating temperature by integrating an organic material as the additional sensing material. A conducting polymer known as polyaniline (PANI) was added to the titanium oxide (TiO2) by in-situ chemical polymerization method to form the PANI-TiO2 nanocomposite. The effect of doped PANI was studied in a range of percentage compositions. It was characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and N2 adsorptiondesorption analysis. Meanwhile, the performances of composite pellets were measured at lower temperatures (below 70 °C) for acetone concentrations of 100 – 500 ppm and optimized. It was found that 30 wt.% of PANI-TiO2 was the best percentage loading, giving the maximum sensitivity. The optimum performance was obtained at 45 °C of operating temperature with sensitivity approximately at 16.19% for 300 ppm of acetone exposure. Key words: acetone; adsorption-desorption; conducting polymer; polyaniline
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 53 58 - OPTICAL SENSING MATERIAL BASED n p-TOLUIDINE IMMOBILISED IN POLYVINYL ALCOHOL (PVA) FILM FOR DETECTION OF HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL (HMF) IN HONEY. Mashri Ahmed Yahia1 , Che Wan Zanariah Che Wan Ngah1 and Lee Yook Heng2 and Musa Ahmad1* 1Faculty of Science &Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), 71800 Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan DK, Malaysia 2Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor DE, Malaysia *Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]) Heating process, particularly at high temperatures can destroy vitamins and enzymes in honey, and lead to the production of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), therefore reducing the quality of honey. HMF is practically absent in fresh honey, but concentrations increase with the temperature and time of heating, as well as due to improper storage and adulteration. This research work was designed to fabricate a simple optical sensing materials for HMF detection based on immobilised p-toluidine in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film supported on filter paper. The reflectance intensities of the immobilised reagent were measured at a wavelength range of 250 - 500 nm by using a spectrophotometer. The photostability and reproducibility of the optical sensing material were good with RSD values of 1.9 and 2.83 % respectively, and exhibited a linear response across a wide range of HMF concentrations from 1 × 10–3 M to 7 × 10–3 M. The optimum response of the sensing material was obtained at pH 3.0. The interference study which was made revealed no effect on the presence of glucose and fructose. The results showed a great agreement between the fabricated optical sensing material and the HPLC standard methods, with correlation coefficient (R2 ) and slope value at 0.99 and 1.02 respectively. The optical sensing material had a good potential use in quantitative determination of HMF in industrial honey with LOD 0.09 and LOQ 0.27. Key words: optical sensing material, hydroxymethylfurfural, honey, p-toluidine, PVA
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 54 62 - DECOMPOSITION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIALS USING IONIC LIQUIDS NUR IFFAH ZULKIPLIa , SALINA MAT RADZIa & NUR AMALINA MOHD AMINa aFakulti Sains Dan Teknologi, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia [email protected] *Corresponding author’s email [email protected] ABSTRACT Ionic liquids have been used in a variety of fields, and they have recently gained popularity as green chemistry solvents with little environmental effect. Ionic liquids are being studied as potential solvents for the production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass which is a potential source of biofuels. In this study, two types of imidazolium-based ionic liquids which are 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [BMIm][Cl] and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [BMIm][Ac] were synthesized and characterized using fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) instruments. Since imidazolium-based ionic liquids are capable of dissolving lignocellulosic materials such as sugarcane bagasse, oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), and corn stover, the dissolution process is much preferred. When the sample was dissolved with ionic liquids, the decomposition process tends to occur more rapidly without producing any harmful by-product. Furthermore, the structure of lignocellulosic materials became disorganized and curled after being dissolved in ionic liquids. [BMIm][Ac] gave a better decomposition when dissolved with the lignocellulosic materials due to its basicity. FTIR, TGA, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) instruments were used to provide structure characterization of lignocellulosic materials when treated with ionic liquids. The cellulose's hydrogen bond networks and crystal structures have been largely disrupted by the processes of dissolution with ionic liquids. Keywords: [BMIm][Cl]; [BMIm][AC]; dissolution; sugarcane bagasse; OPEFB
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 55 72 - ANALYSIS OF ACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF BAECKEA FRUTESCENS USING ATTENUATED TOTAL REFLECTANCE-FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (ATR-FTIR) AND ITS SAPONIFICATION PROCESS Aina Irdina Aizo1* , Liyana Amalina Adnan1*, Rahayu Ahmad1 1Kolej PERMATA Insan, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia *Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]) Bar soap is a widely used cleansing and lubricating product. It is primarily comprising fatty acid salts and surfactants that help remove dirt and impurities from the skin. However, using palm oil in many bar soaps has raised environmental concerns due to deforestation and sustainability issues. To tackle this problem, a research study was conducted to investigate the potential substitution of palm oil with Baeckea frutescens oil. Baeckea frutescens is a wild herb with a historical track record for its medicinal applications such as treating fever and sunstroke. This investigation involved extracting the oil and incorporating it into soap production through a saponification process followed by an analysis using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The results revealed the presence of essential active compounds including phenolic acids and flavonoids which hold promising skincare benefits. The soap's unique spherical design not only acts as a barrier against microbial growth but also showcases the oil's potential aesthetic and health benefits. The soap's antiinflammatory and antibacterial properties suggest promising advantages for addressing a range of skin conditions including eczema and acne. This research highlights the potential of Baeckea frutescens soap as an eco-friendly and therapeutic alternative that combines natural healing characteristics with contemporary skincare requirements. Key words: Phenolic acids, antibacterial, bar soap, anti-inflammatory
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 56 77 - UV-Vis SPECTROPHOTOMETRY STUDY IN THERMAL DIGESTION OF POME CATALYSED BY FeCL3 WITH GLUCOSE AND LIGNIN Mohd Hafiz Md Ali1 , Mohammad Noor Jalil1,2* , Zainiharyati Mohd Zain1,2, Tay Chia Chay1,3 And Hamizah Mohd Zaki1 1Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia 2Electrochemical Material and Sensor (EMaS) Research Group, Faculty of Applied Sciences Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Malaysia. 3myBioREC, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Correspondence author e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Palm oil mill effluent is hazardous and creates unpleasant condition to the environment. Since Malaysia second largest palm oil producer, offers number of rooms to explore. In this work, a proper and appropriate metal catalyst such FeCl3 was used to facilitate the degradation by chemical reactions on organic compounds present in POME. Similar parameters as reported by previous studies were applied, where glucose and lignin have been used as role model. During thermal digestion FeCl3 helps to enhance the reaction. The temperature was varied from 25 to 90 oC for all the samples. Prior analysis, premixed with 0.005 M FeCl3 was prepared for all samples. Quantifying analysis by UV-Vis spectrometry instrumentation and wavelength within 200-600 nm was used. The absorbance results showed FeCl3 able to perform oxidation reaction in POME and lignin. However, glucose is a monosaccharide group which is only undergo the hydrolysis reaction. Both POME and lignin shown significant difference in the absorbance readings particularly at ≥40 oC except at the 25 oC. For glucose, the absorbance values were increased at ≥25 oC which indicates the hydrolysis was reached at the optimum level. Conclusion, at this set of thermal digestion temperature were considered as a favourable for POME pre-treatment. Key words: Ferric Chloride, POME, thermal digestion degradation, UV-Vis Spectrometry
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 57 10 - THE INFLUENCE OF VARYING Ar/O2 GAS RATIO WITH CATALYSTFREE GROWTH BY HOMEMADE THERMAL EVAPORATION TECHNIQUE Khairudin Azira1, a), Hamid Najiha1, b), Suhaimi Syahida 2, c), Mohamad Isa Mohd Ikmar Nizam3, d) , Mohd Taib Nur Athirah1 , e) and Muhamad @ Wahab Syamsul Kamar 1, f) Author Affiliations 1Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2Energy Materials Consortium (EMC), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 3Energy Materials Consortium (EMC), Advanced Materials Team, Ionic & Kinetic Materials Research (IKMaR) Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Author Emails a)[email protected] b)[email protected] c)Corresponding author: [email protected] d)[email protected] e)[email protected] f)[email protected] Abstract: Nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) with different percentages of argon and oxygen gas flow rate was deposited on a silicon wafer by a simple hot tube thermal evaporation technique. The effect of different percentages of gas flow rate on the crystal structure, surface morphology and optical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and RAMAN spectroscopy, respectively. The changes of morphologies from FESEM were significant where the grown ZnO nanostructures show three different shapes which are nanotripod, nanoclusters and nanorods at 5%, 10% and 25% of oxygen gas, respectively. EDX results revealed that Zn and O elements have a major percentage in the sample indicating a composition has high purity of ZnO. XRD patterns displayed the most intense diffraction peak of ZnO at (101), which exhibited a single crystalline hexagonal structure with preferred growth orientation in the c-axis. RAMAN scattering study found that synthesized ZnO shows the high intensity of E2 mode and low intensity of E1 mode attributed to all the samples having good crystal quality containing fewer structural defects. In conclusion, the E15 sample with a 25% oxygen gas flow rate selected as an optimum result for synthesizing a homogenous surface and high crystallinity of ZnO by using a hot tube thermal evaporation process. This work can enhance the development of ZnO production in various applications. Keywords: Zinc Oxide, Thermal Evaporation, Gas Flow Rate, Purity List of Abstracts PHYSICS
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 58 15 - COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTE AS ELECTROMAGNETIC ABSORBER Nawrah Afnan Ashraf1, a), Fadzidah Mohd Idris2, b), Syahida Suhaimi1, c), Noorain Purhanudin2, d), Farah Hamizah Puad1, e), and Intan Helina Hassan3, f) Author Affiliations 1Faculty of Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. 2Kolej GENIUS Insan, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. 3 Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Author Emails a) [email protected] b) Corresponding author: [email protected] c)[email protected] d)[email protected] e)[email protected] f)[email protected] Abstract: Modern technological advances and developments pose a serious threat to our lives that create more electromagnetic (EM) interference pollution. This situation encourages researchers to produce EM absorbers from various materials. This paper investigates the capability of activated carbon (AC) extracted from Terminalia catappa (TC) fruit agricultural waste by the carbonization process as a potential filler for EM absorber. Besides, AC produced from TC fruit waste also serves plenty of advantages as renewable resources, eco-friendly materials, and exhibit nano-porosity structure. The 3 wt% AC material as a filler is incorporated in the epoxy resin as a polymer matrix using the moulding technique. The sample’s EM wave properties are measured using Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) at a frequency range of 4.0 GHz to 8.0 GHz. The reflection loss (RL) value of AC/epoxy is -8.568 dB at a frequency of 6.68 GHz. To maximize the EM absorption, the geometrical structure of the material is tuned and simulated with different 3D honeycomb designs (1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm thickness). The Computer Simulation Technology (CST) simulation predicted and visualized the EM absorption performance of the 3D designs. The CST results of the composite sample exhibited a significant and enhanced effective EM absorption at C-band frequency range. Keywords: natural source, activated carbon, 3D designs, CST simulation, honeycomb geometry
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 59 19 - LEVERAGING CHATBOT TECHNOLOGY FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AMONG STEM UNDERGRADUATES Aminatul Saadiah Abdul Jamil1*, Siti Aisyah Anisya Kamaludin2 , Azira Khalil1 ,Jenson Fofah3 1Health Industry Technology Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. 2Applied Physics Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. 3Clinical Biochemistry, Pathology Department, Royal United Hospital Bath, Combe Park, Bath, Avon BA1 3NG, United Kingdom *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract STEM students frequently face multiple stressors, encompassing academic pressure, relationship challenges, health concerns, financial instability, and career uncertainty, with potential negative impacts on their well-being. These consequences encompass anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders. In severe cases, they may lead to insomnia, antisocial behavior, psychotic episodes, and thoughts of suicide. Despite available counseling services, Malaysian STEM undergraduates often struggle to access timely mental health support effectively. In response, we introduced TAARIQ™, a chatbot developed using HTTPS and JSON API scripting. In a pilot test with 181 STEM undergraduates conducted in June 2022, we assessed TAARIQ™'s effectiveness using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and explored its correlation with online mental health screening. The results showed that STEM undergraduates received accurate responses from TAARIQ™ across a wide spectrum of queries, including structured inquiries, relevant keywords, and even colloquially phrased language inputs. STEM students efficiently used the TAARIQ™ mental health chatbot to schedule appointments with mental health professionals within 10 minutes and expressed positive beliefs about its usability when combined with mental health screening. 7 out of 10 undergraduates believed that mental health chatbots effectively reduced the risk of adverse outcomes related to mental health, significantly influencing their willingness to engage in counseling sessions (51.3% versus 31.9%). About 90% expressed positive beliefs about TAARIQ™'s usability in conjunction with mental health screening, with a 95% Confidence Interval from 85.7% to 93.5%. In conclusion, integrating chatbots for mental health support in universities holds promise for enhancing STEM undergraduates' well-being. Keywords: Chatbot, Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM), educational technology, mental health
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 60 23 - CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE + AMMONIUM FORMATE BIOPOLYMER ELECTROLYTE: IONIC CONDUCTIVITY AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES Mohd Ibnu Haikal Ahmad Sohaimy1,a) and Mohd Ikmar Nizam Mohamad Isa1,2,b) Author Affiliations 1Energy Materials Consortium, Advanced Materials Team, Ionic & Kinetic Materials Research Laboratory (IKMaR), Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia 2 Advanced Nano Materials, Advanced Materials team, Ionic State Analysis (ISA) Laboratory, Faculty of Science & Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia. Author Emails a) [email protected] b) Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract: Safety concerns about the conventional battery such as prone to leakage, fire and expensive core materials can be overcome by using solid biopolymer electrolyte (SBE) in the battery system. This work aims to improve the ionic conductivity of biopolymer electrolyte based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) by doping with varied ammonium formate composition (5 – 50 wt.%). The biopolymer electrolyte was tested for its electrical properties using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine the optimum salt concentration with highest ionic conductivity. Surprisingly, this SBE system shows percolation conductivity behavior. The sample which has the highest ionic conductivity is for sample added with 50 wt.% of ammonium formate which obtained ~1.47 × 10-4 S/cm. The ionic conductivity behavior was also tested at elevated temperature (303K – 373K) and fitted to Arrhenius behavior to check the temperature stability of the biopolymer electrolyte. The dielectric properties of the biopolymer electrolyte were also investigated to investigate the charge carrier’s behavior inside the biopolymer electrolyte and coupled with conduction modelling using Jonscher’s power law equation to correlate the ionic conductivity improvement. Keywords: solid biopolymer electrolyte; carboxymethyl cellulose; ammonium formate; electrical properties; ionic conductivity
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 61 28 - DETERMINING THE LIQUID DENSITY OF TRIDECANE USING A SOLID DENSITY STANDARD Siti Nuraqilah Zulkfilee 1, a), Abd Khamim Ismail2, b), Mohd Fazrul Mohd Nor3, c) and Noor Razinah Rahmat4, d) 1Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia 2Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia 3National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM), 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia 4National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM), 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia a)[email protected] b)[email protected] c)[email protected] d)[email protected] Abstract: In numerous metrology laboratories, measuring liquid density is an essential activity. At the National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM), hydrometers are commonly used to measure the density of liquids, including tridecane. The calibration of a hydrometer ensures its traceability to the density standard. Currently, NMIM employs crystal spheres as the solid density to determine the liquid density of tridecane. However, using a crystal sphere as a density standard has been proven to be timeconsuming procedure and has resulted in considerable uncertainty. Furthermore, the utilization of a crystal sphere as the standard reference limits the range of measurement capabilities. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach that involves utilizing a 500 g stainless steel disc weight to determine the liquid density of tridecane. Initially, the 500 g disc weight underwent calibration at the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ). Subsequently, its volume and mass were determined to be (63.27059 ± 0.00041) cm3 and (500.00137 ± 0.00025) g, respectively. The next step involved employing the hydrostatic weighing method, based on Archimedes' principle, to determine the liquid density of tridecane. The experiment yielded an expanded uncertainty of 0.756453 g/ml for the liquid density of tridecane at 20 °C, with a standard uncertainty of 0.000011 g/ml at a confidence level of 95% with k = 2. This initial work demonstrates the potential of using a 500 g disc weight as the solid density, which is cost-effective and provides more accurate results. Keywords: hydrostatic weighing method; density; tridecane; disc weight
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 62 29 - ASSESMENT OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS FOR GOLD 916: USING ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY FLUORESENCE AND HYDROSTATIC WEIGHING SYSTEM Raudhatusoufwah Ruzairi1, a) Abd Khamim Ismail1,b) Mohd Fazrul Mohd Nor2,c) Noor Razinah Rahmat2,d) Adlan Akram Mohamad Marzuki 2,e) Siti Nuraqilah Zulkiflee1,f) 1Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia 2National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM), 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia . a)[email protected] b)[email protected] c)[email protected] d)[email protected] e)[email protected] f)[email protected] Abstract: The growing demand for non-destructive methods to determine the purity of gold 916 is primarily motivated by gold's reputation as a secure investment. In Malaysia, assuring this purity presents a notable challenge due to the prevalence of counterfeit gold jewellery containing adulterated gold items. These items may encompass gold 916 with significantly reduced gold content, dropping below the 91.6% threshold, as well as instances of porosity and unwanted contaminants. Presently, no non-destructive testing method can ensure the precise composition of gold 916. Consequently, the adoption of a comprehensive approach is essential to thoroughly characterize the material properties of gold 916 and verify its authenticity against established standards. In this research project, a methodology is proposed that combines two non-destructive testing methods: Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and the Hydrostatic Weighing System (HWS) to establish a gold 916 standard. This study involved seven samples, each with an approximate thickness of 0.4 mm. Through the application of these complementary techniques, the objective is to meticulously analyze these samples and confirm their authenticity, ensuring they meet the required standards for gold 916. The findings of this study demonstrate that EDXRF and HWS can effectively differentiate gold 916 from various compositions by providing precise values. EDXRF achieves accuracy up to 0.01%, while HWS delivers reliable measurements of up to 0.0001 g/ml. Additionally, this study incorporated gold samples with purity levels of 999 and 750. The results confirm that both instruments can proficiently identify whether the gold's purity exceeds or falls below the 91.6% benchmark. These findings underscore the significance of EDXRF and HWS as valuable tools for assessing quality and determining purity within the gold industry. These approaches contribute to ensuring the accuracy of gold compositions and detecting variations in purity levels, making them indispensable instruments for gold analysis and authentication. Keywords: EDXRF, HWS, Gold 916, Non-Destructive Testing.
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 63 31 - THE EFFECT OF CO-DOPING GRAPHENE OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND CEPHALOPOD BONES ON MICROSTRUCTURAL OF YBCO SUPERCONDUCTOR NURULNABIHAH AQILAH ZULKARNAINa , NURUL HUDA ABD. KADIRb , AIMA RAMLIc aUniversiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia [email protected] bUniversiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia [email protected] cUniversiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia [email protected] ABSTRACT Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBa2Cu3O7-δ) or known as YBCO is a group of crystalline chemical compound high temperature superconductivity (HTSC’s) and one of the famous superconductors among the researchers. However, YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductor suffers from low grain conductivity and weak links of the grains, thus resulting in disruption of superconducting performance. The addition of impurities is one of the ways to improve the superconducting properties of YBCO. Thus, in this research, the YBa2Cu3O7-δ was added with graphene oxide nanoparticles and marine waste, cuttlefish bone (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 wt.%). The samples were synthesized via solid state method. All samples were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the samples have identical thermal decomposition observing the weight lost with optimum sintering temperature at 900 ⁰C. It was found that orthorhombic structure is preserved in all samples with predominant Y-123 phase. The XRD results have shown that the crystallite size are 54.97 Å, 55.74 Å, 56.67 Å, 67.97 Å, 56.35 Å and 56.58 Å. The SEM analysis showed that grain sizes increased as the addition of graphene oxide nanoparticles and cuttlefish bone increased from 4.22µm to 8.89µm indicating the connection of the grains in the YBCO samples is improved. As a conclusion, it was shown that the co-addition of the graphene oxide nanoparticle and cuttlefish bone play an essential part to enhance the superconducting properties of this YBCO superconductor. Keywords: YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductor, co-doping, nanoparticles, cuttlefish bone
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 64 47 - ELUCIDATING URIC ACID CONCENTRATION-SURFACE TENSION LEVEL THROUGH REFLECTIVE INTENSITY OF OPTICAL FIBER SENSOR Nur Athirah Mohd Taiba* , Nur Najihah Gan Mohamad Azlan Gana , Nurul Nadia Adnanb a Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. b Photonics Devices and Sensor Research (PDSR), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Pagoh Educational Hub, 84600, Pagoh, Johor, Malaysia Email: [email protected] Abstract: Human body fluids are regarded as desirable sources for biological markers due to the fact the altered protein expression profiles reflect the change of physiological states and cell networks of the diseased tissue/organ. Owning to several advantages including low invasiveness, low cost, and rapid sample collection and processing makes the evaluation of human body fluid has become one of the most promising approaches in disease diagnosis and prognosis to discover biomarkers or reveal pathophysiological mechanisms for human disease. Surface tension is a surface characteristic that related to the forces of molecules residing at the interface. The presence of surface active substance in biological or body fluids which adsorb at interface influences the norm surface tension value. Such the changes indicate valuable signs in medical field particularly in pathological states. Thus, in this study we demonstrate the effect of concentration towards the surface tension by employing the concept of light reflective intensity modulation as a function of displacement since the meniscus formation is one of surface tension characteristics. A key reference parameter for examining 0 mg/dl – 10 mg/dl of uric acid was evaluated. It is found that the fingerprint of each sample has two maximum output voltages located at approximately two stable positions. The surface tension value decreases from 71.849 mN/m to 70.238 mN/m in the change of 0 ppm to 500 ppm with deviation of 2.6 V to 3.5 V. Keywords: Uric acid; surface tension; concentration; optical fiber sensor
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 65 51 - AMPLITUDE AND HITS ACOUSTIC EMISSION DATA PARAMETERS OF CONCRETE ON THE CYCLIC LOAD TEST METHOD Faisal Sheikh Khalid1a), Zahir Zaki1 , Shahiron Shahidan1 , Syafiqa Ayob1 , Mohd Irwan Juki1 1Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Batu Pahat, Johor, MALAYSIA a)[email protected] Abstract: This paper will show the study of normal reinforced concrete beam and 20% replacement of fine recycled concrete aggregate (FRCA) reinforced concrete beam under the cyclic load test (CLT) setup and being monitored by acoustic emission (AE) method. The AE data parameter that being used in this study are amplitude and hits. The main reason for conducting this study is to collect data on the behaviour of each beam when they are being exposed to the cyclic load. The load that been applied are divided into four loadsets (LS). Each LS consist of two cycles and both beams pass all three criteria which is repeatability, permanency, and deviation of linearity. On the amplitude AE data parameters, it can be seen that as the LS increases, the dotted marks that represent AE amplitude also increase. The marks are higher on the FRCA RC beam as compared to the normal RC beam which shows there are more activity in the FRCA RC beam as the load increases. For the hits AE data parameters, both beams show a drastically rose after the LS2 and kept increasing after the service load level. Increasing in hits shows the damage had occurred on the beam due to the CLT. This shows the amplitude and hits AE data parameter been corresponds to the CLT method accordingly to the LS. Keywords: Concrete, Fine recycled concrete aggregate, Replacement, Mechanical properties
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 66 67 - IONIC CONDUCTIVITY STUDIES ON PROTON CONDUCTING SOLID BIOPOLYMER ELECTROLYTE BASED ON 2-HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE (2HEC) DOPED WITH AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (NH4CL) Amzar Arif Mejenom1, and Mohd Ikmar Nizam Bin Mohamad Isa 1,2, b) 1.Energy Materials Consortium (EMC), Advanced Materials Team, Ionic & Kinetic Materials Research (IKMaR) Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2. Advanced Nano Materials (AnoMa), Ionic State Analysis (ISA) Laboratory, Faculty of Science & Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia a) [email protected] b) [email protected] Abstract: Solution casting techniques has been used to create a solid biopolymer electrolyte (SBEs) based on 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (2HEC) doped with varying amounts of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to measure the impedance of the electrolytes between 50 Hz and 1 MHz in frequency. At room temperature, ionic conductivity at its highest found for 16% weight percent of NH4Cl which was 1.74 x 10-3 Scm-1. The temperature dependence data of 2HEC-NH4Cl SBEs abides Arrhenius behaviour. Complex electrical modulus and complex permittivity were used to assess the dielectric data for the sample at various temperatures Keyword: Biopolymer electrolytes, ionic conductivity, electrical properties.
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 67 69 - NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF A DEVICE ARCHITECTURE FOR CTSBASED THIN FILM SOLAR CELL USING SCAPS-1D SIMULATOR FAKHRUL MD ISLAMa,b , NM YATIMb,c, MOHAMMAD AMINUL ISLAMd , DILIP KUMAR SARKARe & SAMIYA MAHJABINf a Daffodil International University, Birulia-1216, Dhaka, Bangladesh [email protected] bFaculty Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, N. Sembilan, Malaysia c Energy Materials Consortium (EMC), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, N. Sembilan, Malaysia [email protected] dDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [email protected] e Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi. Rajshai-6205, Bangladesh [email protected] f Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Dhaka International University, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh [email protected] *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] Abstract: Thin-film (TF) solar cells have recently gained attention due to their high energy conversion efficiency and potential alternative to satisfy rising energy demands. Absorber layer is an important part in solar cell as it responsible for light absorptions. Popular absorber layer used in TF solar cell include Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS), Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), and Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS). However, these materials have drawbacks due to its toxicity materials used, scarcity, and/or high fabrication costs. To overcome these issues, this study proposed Copper Tin Sulfide (CTS) as an alternative for solar cell application due to its safe and abundant materials. Initial study is important to determine the optimization design before fabrication. Numerical models for absorber layer and window layer have been conducted by The Solar Cell Performance Simulator (SCAPS-1D). The thickness and carrier concentration (C.C.) in the absorber (CTS) and the buffer layer (CdS) were varied to get the optimized energy band gap (Eg). Data obtained from these optimizations have been implemented on SCAPS-1D device simulation for estimating output of photovoltaic (PV) device. It is obtained that the PV device exhibited conversion efficiency, as high as 22.56 % with short-circuit current (Jsc) of 35.23 mA/cm2 , open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.827 V, and fill-factor (FF) of 77.32 %, when the optimized input value in CTS absorber layer with carrier concentration (C.C) of 11018 cm-3 , thickness of 1500 nm and energy band gap (Eg) of 1.2 eV with CdS buffer layer optimized carrier concentration (C.C) of 11018 cm-3 with thickness 120 nm. The highest efficiency experimentally yet recorded for CTS-based solar cells are 4.6 % (Na doped CTS) and 6 % (Ge alloyed CTS-CTGeS). The result of this finding indicates promising future for a fantastic replacement for current thin film photovoltaic devices. Further investigation can be carried out experimentally and successful of this study can lead to sustainability of solar cell. Keywords: CTS-based; solar cell; numerical simulation, SCAPS-1D
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 68 70 - STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF SOLID BIOPOLYMER ELECTROLYTE SYSTEM BASED ON 2HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE BLEND WITH AMMONIUM CHLORIDE Amzar Arif Mejenom1 , and Mohd Ikmar Nizam Bin Mohamad Isa 1,2, a) 1Energy Materials Consortium (EMC), Advanced Materials Team, Ionic & Kinetic Materials Research (IKMaR) Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2Advanced Nano Materials (AnoMa), Ionic State Analysis (ISA) Laboratory, Faculty of Science & Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia a) [email protected] b) [email protected] Abstract: The discovery of solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBE) made of biopolymer materials, 2- Hyroxyethyl Cellulose (2HEC) containing ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), is presented in this article. The samples were measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine their ionic conductivities. The samples containing 16% NH4Cl had the highest conductivity at room temperature, which was 1.74 x 10-3 Scm-1. According to the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results, all samples were mostly amorphous. In order to explore the production of the biopolymer-based complexes, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to describe the interaction of biopolymer-based electrolyte films. These findings demonstrated the potential of the biopolymer-based electrolyte for use in electrochemical devices. Keyword: Biopolymer electrolytes, ionic conductivity, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR).
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 69 37 - DETECTION OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS IN WATER FOR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW Siti Nadhirah Zainurin a , Wan Zakiah Wan Ismail b , Irneza Ismail c , Juliza Jamaludin c abc Advanced Devices and System, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. a) [email protected] b) Corresponding author: [email protected] c) [email protected] c) [email protected] Abstract: Water pollution is a detrimental issue that occurs when there are changes in water either physically, biologically, or chemically. It directly disrupts water usage and poses a danger to society, environment, economy, and agriculture. Water quality should be monitored to alert authorities on water pollution, so that action can be taken quickly. Improper water management pollutes rivers and lakes in Malaysia such as Klang River, Semenyih River, Kim Kim River, Slim River, and others. Various techniques are introduced to detect contaminants in water such as electronic sensors, biosensor approaches, laboratory analysis, and optical techniques. The tool's functionality varies depending on the specific contaminants or parameters being targeted and the resources allocated. Several common contaminant types are found in polluted water including heavy metals, organic and inorganic chemicals, industrial pollutants, suspended solids, and others. The objective of the review is to study various nonoptical and optical contaminants detection methods in water to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the methods. In this review, water pollution problems mainly due to the agricultural sector in several countries are discussed. Besides, conventional, and modern methods are compared in terms of parameters, complexity, and reliability. We believe that conventional methods are costly and complex, whereas modern methods are also expensive but simpler with real-time detection. Recent contaminants detection methods in water are also reviewed to study any loopholes in modern methods. We found that the spectroscopy method based on light propagation theory is suitable and one of the promising methods for chemical contaminants detection for water quality analysis. This method offers fast analysis time, high sensitivity detection, non-invasive analysis, provides reliable data, and others. Undoubtedly, some contaminants in water can be challenging to be identified rapidly and confidently even though there are numerous tools and techniques available for water quality analysis. Thus, the review is important to compare previous methods and to improve current chemical contaminants detection analysis in terms of reliability with a minimum operating system and cost effectiveness. Keywords: Water pollution, chemical contaminants, agriculture, sensing methods, spectroscopy
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 70 16 - EMPIRICAL TEST TOWARDS POOLED ORDINARY LEAST SQUARE METHOD ON PARAMETER OF INTRINSIC VALUE OF ECONOMIC BUBBLES Nurharyanti Borhan1, a) and Nurfadhlina Abdul Halim1, 2, b) Author Affiliations 1Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2 Risk & Analytics Research Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Author Emails a) Corresponding author: [email protected] b)[email protected] Abstract: Analyzing by combining time series and cross-sectional analysis makes panel data analysis very popular and chosen in this study. There are many methods in the panel data analysis, but this study focused on the fixed effect method. The fixed effect method is used to test the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. This method is first tested by analyzing whether the selected data meets the assumptions that have been set. Next, if the method meets the assumptions, then the fitness of the variables is tested. The fit of the data of the independent variable to the dependent variable is tested by looking at the p-value and the R-squared value. The results of this study show the ability of the fixed effect method to build a new equation for the intrinsic value of the stock market. The intrinsic value is used to find the size of the financial bubble. Keywords: financial bubble, intrinsic value, fixed effects, panel data analysis List of Abstracts MATHEMATICS
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 71 30 - CLINICAL PATTERN OF RETINOBLASTOMA PATIENTS IN MALAYSIA: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY NOR AIZURA ZULKIFLIa , NYI NYI NAINGa , NADIAH WAN-ARFAHb ,JAMALIA RAHMATc , MOHAMAD AZIZ SALOWId aFaculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 20400, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia *[email protected]; *[email protected] bFaculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia [email protected] cDepartment of Ophthalmology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 50586, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [email protected] dDepartment of Ophthalmology, Hospital Selayang, 68100, Batu Caves, Malaysia [email protected] *Corresponding author’s email ABSTRACT Retinoblastoma is the most prevalent primary eye cancer in children. The present study aimed to evaluate the retinoblastoma pattern in Malaysia. This retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with confirmed retinoblastoma who registered with the Retinoblastoma Registry of the National Eye Database between January 2004 and December 2020. Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to compare the associated factors with age presentation groups. Of the 333 retinoblastoma patients, the mean (SD) age at presentation was 23 (7) months. Patients in the older group were more likely to be Malay (62.4% vs. 59.2%; p=0.044) and in the final stage E (80.9% vs. 73.0%; p=0.002). Leukocoria was the most common sign at presentation (74.5%). However, there was no statistically significant difference in leukocoria signs at presentation between age groups (73.0% vs. 75.9%; p=0.547). In our study, the majority of RB patients presented at older ages. Thus, public health campaigns emphasizing the early symptoms of retinoblastoma should promote early detection. Keywords: retinoblastoma; cancer; eye; age group; Malaysia 44 - EARTHQUAKE BOND PRICING MODEL WITH DOUBLE TRIGGER PARAMATERS USING CREDIBILITY MEASURE Wulan Anggraeni1 , Sudrajat Supian2 , Sukono2 , Nurfadhlina Abdul Halim3
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 72 Author Affiliations 1Universitas Indraprasta PGRI, 12530, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia 2Universitas Padjadjaran, 45363, Sumedang, Indonesia 3University Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Author Emails [email protected] 2 [email protected]; [email protected] [email protected] Abstract: Financial losses from the earthquake disaster were significant, necessitating funding for costly infrastructure and non-infrastructure repair. The government's contingency funds were insufficient, so the issue of earthquake bonds was a necessary alternative. On the other hand, it contains an element of uncertainty regarding the acquisition of cash value, which creates moral hazard due to triggering events and the possibility of default. The aim of this study is to develop an earthquake bond pricing for single period with double parameters using a credibility measure. The first step is modeling the payment function for cash values, The second stages is modeling the joint distribution of earthquake magnitude and depth using the Archimedean copula, the second model, the third stage is modeling the expectations of cash values, fourth stage is modeling credibility distribution of the triangular and trapezoidal fuzzy variables for cash values, and the five stage is to model earthquake bond prices. The data used in the numerical simulation is earthquake data for the province of West Sumatra for the period 2009–2022. The modeling uses credibility measures of trapezoidal fuzzy variables for cash values produce lower prices than triangular fuzzy variables. The model developed is expected to assist the Special Purpose Vehicle in determining the price of earthquake bonds and be successful in the market. Keywords: catastrophe bond; earthquake; credibility measures. 52 - FACTORS INFLUENCING MOBILE BANKING USAGE AMONG MALAYSIANS DURING COVID-19 PERIOD Nurul Najihah Zakariah a) & Nurul Sima Mohamad Shariff b) Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia a)[email protected]
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 73 b)Corresponding author : [email protected] Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed brought about significant changes in various aspects of human life, including daily activities, the global economy, and the financial sector. Restrictive measures aimed at controlling the spread of the virus have prompted greater reliance on digital solutions, including mobile banking, due to limited physical access to traditional banking services. For this reason, this study aims to investigate the factors that influence individual attitudes towards the use of mobile banking during this period. Therefore, this study uses a survey method through a developed questionnaire to collect targeted respondents. The questionnaire comprises several sections on the sociodemographic profile and the Likert-scale questions on the factors of interest. A total of 274 respondents is successfully obtained through the online medium. The findings show that the perception of ease of use and enjoyment have a significant positive effect on attitude, while the perception of usefulness and perceived credibility are then found to have no significant impact on attitude towards the use of mobile banking. In summary, this study contributes valuable insights into the factors influencing individual attitudes towards mobile banking at a time when digital financial solutions are becoming increasingly relevant as a result of the pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of user experience and security considerations in shaping consumer attitudes and, subsequently, the use of mobile banking services. Keywords: COVID-19, mobile banking, ordered probit model 57 - FACTORS AFFECTING PUBLIC PENSION BENEFIT IN MALAYSIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW MOHAMMED NUR IRFAN MOHAMMED ROSLAN1a ; NORHANA ABD RAHIM2b ; YUMN SUHAYLAH YUSOFF3c ; HISHAMUDDIN ABDUL WAHAB4d 1,2,3,4Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan a Corresponding author : [email protected] [email protected]
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 74 c [email protected] [email protected] Abstract: During retirement, retirees will be receiving their retirement benefits as a reward for their contributions throughout their working period, depending on how long they have been working on their career since the first job they have landed. There are two types of retirement benefits which are defined benefit (DB) plan and defined contribution (DC) plan. The defined benefit (DB) plan is usually implemented on public sector workers, while defined contribution plan, usually implemented on private sector workers. Although COLA (Cost-of-Living-Adjustment) factors have been included into pension contributions to be distributed, somehow it may not be able to sustain due to differences factors affecting the pension benefits such as mortality, fertility, life expectancy, inflation, crude death rate, and interest rate. Thus, in this paper, we identify the factors that affect the pension benefits of public employees in Malaysia. A systematic review is used to find out the dominant factors that have significant effect towards public pension benefits. The references used are generated from databases such as ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ResearchGate and other relevant and trusted journals that deem reasonable. A total of 119 literatures were included in the sample. The findings revealed that life expectancy, crude death rate, interest rate, total fertility rate and inflation rate have a significant effect on pension benefits. Finally, we believe that it provides a clear understanding of the important issues that have an impact on public pension benefits. As a result, pensioners are able to reserve their purchasing power even more after taking inflation into account. It also aims to assist the government in improving the current pension system to match the current cost of living. Keywords: pension, public pension benefits, retirement, COLA, systematic review
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 75 59 - RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES VS COPING MECHANISMS IN PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK Nurul Nadia Ngah1, a) and Sharifah Fairuz Syed Mohamad2, b) 1,2 Faculty of Science and Technology, University Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan a) [email protected] b) [email protected] Abstract: Psychosocial risks and work-related stress are significant occupational safety and health concerns impacting individuals, organizations, and national economies. These risks stem from inadequate work design, organizational practices, management strategies, and a deficient social environment in the workplace. A high-quality psychosocial context positively impacts job performance, individual growth, and employees' overall mental and physical health. This paper intends to study the differences between risk management strategies and coping mechanisms in psychosocial risk. A systematic literature review method was adopted, where 158 initial articles were screened and finally filtered to 23 total articles for review and analysis. The findings show that risk management is a dynamic process that can serve as a catalyst, mitigating adverse outcomes and fostering favorable ones where adopting psychosocial risk management in company operations can provide substantial benefits, including enhanced work engagement, improved quality, and increased performance. Additionally, organizations must implement effective coping strategies to manage psychosocial risks effectively. In short, understanding psychosocial risk management and coping mechanisms is crucial in promoting a healthy work environment. Adherence to international standards, regular audits, and scientific research can optimize psychosocial performance. Keywords: psychosocial risk, risk management strategies, coping mechanisms
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 76 64 - EMPIRICAL TESTING TOWARDS FIXED EFFECT METHOD ON INTRINSIC VALUE VARIABLES OF ECONOMIC BUBBLES Nurharyanti Borhan1, a) and Nurfadhlina Abdul Halim1, 2, b) Author Affiliations 1Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2 Risk & Analytics Research Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Author Emails a) Corresponding author: [email protected] b)[email protected] Abstract: Analyzing by combining time series and cross-sectional analysis makes panel data analysis very popular and chosen in this study. There are many methods in the panel data analysis, but this study focused on the fixed effect method. The fixed effect method is used to test the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. This method is first tested by analyzing whether the selected data meets the assumptions that have been set. Next, if the method meets the assumptions, then the fitness of the variables is tested. The fit of the data of the independent variable to the dependent variable is tested by looking at the p-value and the R-squared value. The results of this study show the ability of the fixed effect method to build a new equation for the intrinsic value of the stock market. The intrinsic value is used to find the size of the financial bubble. Keywords: financial bubble, intrinsic value, fixed effects, panel data analysis
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 77 66 - ESTIMATING ACTIVE CASE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE USING SEIRD MODEL; CASE OF COVID-19 DISEASES IN MALAYSIA Azrul Azim Mohd Yunus1, a) , Shahrina Ismail1,b) , Arif Asraf Mohd Yunus1, c) , Muhammad Safwan Ibrahim1, d) and Shaharudin Ismail2, e) Author Affiliations 1Department of Financial Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia 2 Department of Information Security and Assurance, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia Author Emails a) Corresponding author: [email protected] b) [email protected] c) [email protected] d) [email protected] e) [email protected] Abstract: The spread of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has resulted in chaos around the globe. The infected cases are still increasing, with many countries still showing a trend of growing daily cases. To forecast the trend of active cases, a mathematical model, namely the SEIRD model was used, to visualize the spread of COVID-19. SEIRD model were used to estimate and visualize the trend of active cases, recovery, and death during infection period. Using lmfit package in python, it can solve provides solution for Non-Linear Least-Square Minimization and Curve-Fitting, thus the coefficient for infection, recovery rate, and death rate were obtained. It is important to estimate current trend of an active case in Malaysia. In this paper, the trend for active cases of an infection was presented and discussed. With proper strategies from local authorities, the visualization of how the peak of infection (namely flattening the curve) can be reduced to minimize the effect of COVID-19 disease. Keywords: SEIRD model, Covid-19, mathematical model
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 78 68 - ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS IN DEVELOPING DIABETES AMONG PUBLIC IN MALAYSIA AND THEIR INTEREST FOR TAKAFUL PRODUCTS SHARIFAH FAIRUZ SYED MOHAMADa , MOHD RADZNIWAN A RASHIDb , ZURINA KEFELIc , NURUL AINI MUHAMEDc , AZRUL AZLAN ISKANDAR MIRZAc , JUNAIDAH ABU SEMANc & SAHARUDDIN AHMADd aFaculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia,Malaysia *[email protected] bFaculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia,Malaysia cFaculty of Economics and Muamalat, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia,Malaysia d Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia *Corresponding author’s email Abstract: Similar to most other Asian nations, Malaysia is not exempt from the worrisome rise in type 2 diabetes among its people. If left untreated, diabetes' prevalence would lead to an increase in medical and treatment expenditures in addition to its negative physical and psychological impacts. This is especially important for people from low-income households and those without takaful or health insurance. In order to prevent the long-term repercussions of type 2 diabetes, it is crucial that the general population understands the risk factors for getting the disease and the elements that contribute to it. The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. As a result, this study makes an effort to discover and evaluate the risk factors for acquiring type 2 diabetes in Malaysian society before further classifying the risk levels into three groups: low, intermediate, and high. The study also seeks to establish the association between the interest for takaful products associated with type 2 diabetes and two socio-demographic factors; age group and gender. The study used a cross-sectional survey of participants or members of the general public who would be thought to be at risk of getting diabetes in the long run. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis, which was conducted using SPSS software. According to the findings, survey respondents are primarily dispersed on the intermediate level, with 46% of them falling into this category, when it comes to risk levels. The percentages are 26.3% and 27.7%, respectively, at low and high levels. This demonstrates that the population of Malaysia may be at intermediate to high risk of getting type 2 diabetes over the long term. Findings from inferential statistics show that there are significant differences across age and gender in the interest of getting takaful products. Therefore, this study would be useful for takaful and insurance companies in targeting consumers for marketing their products, especially those who are at risk of type 2 diabetes. Keywords: risk factors, type 2 diabetes, health perception, interest for takaful
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 79 81 - A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STANDARD NEURAL NETWORKS AND GRANULAR NEURAL NETWORK Anis F.G.a , SSS. Ahmad b & N. Latiff c aFaculty of Information and Communication Technology, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, 75350, Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia *[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT In recent years, neural networks have become the backbone of many machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. While traditional standard neural networks (SNN) have demonstrated impressive capabilities, the concept of granular neural networks (GNN) has emerged as a novel paradigm for addressing complex data analysis and decision-making tasks. This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of SNN and GNN highlighting their fundamental differences and showcasing their respective strengths and weaknesses. SNN), such as feedforward and convolutional neural networks, have excelled in various applications like image recognition, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning. These networks rely on hierarchical layer structures and deep learning architectures to extract features and patterns from data. However, they often struggle with handling uncertainty, managing complex granular data, and providing interpretable results. GNN, on the other hand, introduce a granular computing (GrC) perspective to neural network design. They aim to enhance the interpretability and adaptability of neural models by incorporating granulation techniques, such as fuzzy logic, into the network's architecture. GNN facilitate the representation of data at varying levels of granularity, allowing for more nuanced and flexible decision-making. This is particularly valuable when dealing with complex, uncertain, or heterogeneous data sources. This study reviews key differences between SNN and GNN, including their data representation, architecture, and learning mechanisms. It explores the utilization of granulation principles, such as fuzzy sets and membership functions, in GNN to handle uncertainty and improve data interpretability. Additionally, it discusses practical applications where each type of neural network excels and provides examples of scenarios where GNN outperform standard networks. Through empirical experiments and case studies, this research demonstrates the advantages of GNN in scenarios involving medical diagnosis, financial risk assessment, and sensor data analysis. It showcases how GNN enhance the extraction of valuable information granules from complex data, leading to more accurate and interpretable decision support systems. In conclusion, this comparative analysis sheds light on the unique capabilities and potential of GNN, offering a valuable perspective for researchers and practitioners seeking to harness the power of neural networks in solving real-world problems. The study underscores the importance of considering GrC 2 principles in neural network design, particularly when dealing with data characterized by uncertainty, complexity, and varying levels of granularity. Keywords: Standard Neural Network; Granular Neural Network; Granular Computing, Artificial Neural Network, Neural Network
Organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, USIM 80