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Cartilage is present throughout the human body and works as supporting connective tissue. It assists bones in supporting and connecting the body but differs in structural aspects as bones are more organized at the micro-level than cartilage. Bones can be regenerated if broken but cartilage has less tendency to regenerate after trauma or disease such as osteoarthritis which supports the concept of tissue engineering using stem cells to produce artificial cartilage implants to resurface damaged joints. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were used in the current study to address this challenge. The chondrogenic capacity of hiPSC cell lines C19 and OC3 in response to members of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily to derive zonal chondrocytes was investigated. The pellet culture system and 3D scaffold based tissue engineering were used to investigate the impact of transforming growth factor beta in combination with bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) including BMP2, BMP4, and BMP7 on the constructs phenotype. Chondrogenic markers including type II, type I, and type X collagens, lubricin, aggrecan and Sox9 have been used to evaluate the quality of chondrogenic outcome by quantifying gene expression and histological analysis. The results demonstrated the derivation of chondrocytes of different phenotypes. These phenotypes were mapped to zonal chondrocytes (superficial, deep and hypertrophic). The results demonstrated the possibility of obtaining superficial and hypertrophic chondrocytes but not deep zone chondrocytes. Identical experiments were conducted for comparison using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Chondrocytes derived from MSCs treated with various combinations of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily members revealed limited mapping to a particular zonal phenotype. An attempt to ameliorate the phenotypes was sought using 3D bioprinting with limited success. Finally, a cellular reprogramming method was utilised to generate chondrocytes with the aim of controlling their fate and phonotype. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were treated with different cocktails of small molecules guided by a bioinformatics-based method for cell conversion (Mogrify). Several cocktails targeting the predicted transcription factors were used to drive the conversion process. One cocktail appeared to have limited capacity to upregulate some chondrogenic markers in 2D and 3D cultures. In conclusion, the issues of cartilage related struggles are spreading worldwide and needs to get a permanent solution that can be helpful for every patient. For this purpose the study was conducted to get a better understanding of in vitro chondrogenesis. The study concluded the generation of hypertrophic and superficial chondrocytes through pellet culture system by using BMPs. The aid of 3D bioprinting was also limited because of the limitation in zonal phenotypes. The cocktails of predicted transcriptional factors helped in inducing chondrogenesis. These are not the ideal results but can help the future researchers to develop better strategies and applicable results.

Spacecraft operation requires a crucial and robust control scheme to accomplish their missions. Hence, sliding mode control (SMC) is one of the robust control approaches capable of fulfilling the spacecraft control operation requirements. Classical SMC, however, produces chattering in the control inputs, which can cause wear and tear in the moving mechanical parts, for instance, actuator. Thus, many researchers introduced modifications in the SMC to attenuate the chattering drawbacks. SMC control development can be divided into two groups; low-order sliding mode control (LOSMC) and high-order sliding mode control (HOSMC). In details, HOSMC requires a sophisticated control algorithm compared to the LOSMC but with a more significant dynamics response. Thus, a new LOSMC is required, producing similar results as HOSMC but less complexity in the control algorithm. Several selected SMC approaches are evaluated on the spacecraft's attitude and orbit control subsystem (ACS) applications; spacecraft attitude and orientation model (SAOM) and spacecraft rendezvous and docking manoeuvres (SRDM). This analysis is a vital medium for evaluating the existing SMC techniques, strengths, and weaknesses for a new LOSMC control development. First, the proposed LOSMC is analysed on the SAOM and SRDM, where the outcomes are compared to the HOSMC. Then, an optimisation technique (particle swarm optimisation (PSO)) is implemented on the new LOSMC and HOSMC. The PSO helps the SAOM and SRDM improving the transient trajectory. The new LOSMC is designed and can perform as the HOSMC with a low complexity algorithm. Finally, this will provide helpful SMC information of the SMC control strategies with their performances on the SAOM and SRDM.

Learner autonomy has been a popular topic of discussion and research with its potential to help learners manage their learning through taking charge of the process. It has also long been debated that teacher support for learner autonomy is a predictor of increased autonomous behaviours learners display in their learning. This study examines the perceptions of teacher educators about their conceptualisations of and support for autonomy, and the perceptions of student teachers about their conceptualisations of and practice of autonomy in their actual learning process. The study also looks at the factors that influence both teacher support and students’ development and implementation of autonomy. This study was carried out in the Faculty of Education in a university in North Cyprus. The research design utilised case study within a qualitative paradigm with semi-structured interviews and student/teacher diaries as the data collection methods to explore autonomy support and practice in a natural setting with in-depth data. Content analysis was used for the analysis of the data. Data from 15 teacher educators and 27 student teachers indicate that teacher educators support and student teachers practise learner autonomy in relation to five main categories: Metacognition, an Atmosphere Conducive to Learner Autonomy, Learner Training, Interdependence and Affect. According to both teacher educators and student teachers, there are serious barriers that hinder teacher educators’ support and inhibit student teachers’ practice. Conceptualisations and background of teachers and learners regarding autonomy, education system and teacher autonomy were reported to be the main barriers.

This thesis utilised the results of novel direct pore-scale experiments to develop a new and improved methodology for simulating the performance of Carbonated Water Injection (CWI) that is capable of reproducing the multiple physics observed in micromodel and core flood experiments. The method relied on the effectiveness of the transferred CO2 from carbonated water on the compositional phase behaviour of the oil phase, and subsequent formation of an additional phase. Then, based on that, the equation of state was tuned to adopt this behaviour This methodology was applied and tested by history-matching core flood experiments in live oil systems. Through an integrated automatic-history matching algorithm, the proposed method was then employed to examine the ability of compositional reservoir simulators (CMG-GEM) to couple mass transfer and multi-phase flow during CWI. The results revealed that the binary interaction coefficients between oil components and CO2 would control the extent of the gaseous-phase formation. A unique and unusual negative binary interaction coefficient (BIC) was obtained between CO2 and methane during the history match of tertiary CWI core displacement rather than the formal positive BIC in conventional CO2 injection. Also, a relatively high value for critical gas saturation, as well as much lower krg values, were obtained to history match the coreflood experiments, which was in agreement with direct pore-scale observations of the immobility of the gas phase to reconnect the oil phase. Next, a CW multiple-contacts equilibrium test was performed to study the compositional phase behaviour of the live oil, with the results being used to tune the equation of state (EOS). The results verified that the formation of a gas phase occurs after the oil became saturated with CO2. Given the necessity for a negative CO2 BIC to methane, different sets of BIC’s were tested. Then, the EOS achieved during the test was used to simulate the CWI core displacement tests that successfully predicted the experimental outcomes, with the negative CO2 BIC to C1, set producing the closest prediction. Therefore, this test verified the proposed method in tuning the EOS through history-matching the formation of gaseous phase saturation in tertiary CWI core displacement test. For the solidity of the simulation method, the applicability of the proposed method was verified in a new set of core displacement experiments. Having history matched the tertiary CWI core displacement experiment, the tuned EOS, and the collected relative permeability data were used to predict the CWI in secondary mode (pre-WF) successfully. Thus, both conventional water and carbonated water would follow a unified flow path in a porous medium in a mixed wet system. Finally, field-scale application scenarios of CWI for enhancing oil recovery in comparison with other recovery methods [mainly conventional water flooding and immiscible gas (CO2 and methane) injections] was conducted. The outcomes of this study suggested that the injection of CW in secondary mode (pre-WF) is more attractive to produce additional oil. The increase of CO2 content in the carbonated water by reducing the brine salinity or adding CO2 solubility promoters would lead to further improvement in oil recovery as the amount of the formed gaseous phase which responsible in displacing more oil, would increase. Furthermore, the injection of CW uses the least net CO2 about 1 MSCF/STB to recover 10% additional oil and has the highest CO2 retention rate in the reservoir which about 50% of injected CO2 compared to other CO2 recovery methods.

Gastrointestinal nematode infection is one of the major diseases affecting sheep and goats but most of the studies have focused on sheep. As a highly productive meat breed of goats, it is important to study the response of Boer breed to gastrointestinal nematode infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between Boer goats and their gastrointestinal nematodes by evaluating the phenotypic (faecal egg counts (FEC), IgA, packed cell volume (PCV), peripheral eosinophil counts and bodyweight) and parasitological (nematode number, length and index) variables following natural and deliberate co-infections that were dominated by Teladorsagia circumcincta and Haemonchus contortus, respectively. This study also aimed to estimate the repeatability, which provides an upper limit on heritability, and heritability of phenotypic variables among Boer goats, in particular the FEC as this is an important marker of resistance to gastrointestinal nematode infection. The study on natural infection was conducted in a farm in England with a semi-intensive grazing system whereas a deliberate infection study was conducted in a farm in Malaysia with an intensive management system. The FEC was confirmed to follow a zero-inflated Poisson distribution after comparing the observed and predicted zeroes in a Poisson regression. Mixed model repeated measures analysis that was conducted in a Bayesian framework was then used to analyse the phenotypic data. The findings from the studies of the phenotypic variables showed that the repeatability was moderate for FEC and PCV but relatively high for IgA activity and peripheral eosinophil counts and decreased significantly as the interval between sampling increased. The repeated measures models showed that FEC variation among Boer goats was affected by eosinophilia through time with the presence of an interaction with IgA responses, but that FEC was not heritable among Boer goats. The bodyweight of Boer goats was shown to be highly heritable despite them being infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. Additionally, the unaffected PCV levels and the increase in bodyweight over the course of infection suggest that Boer goats may be relatively resilient to gastrointestinal nematode infection. Multiple linear regression analyses of the mean phenotypic variables and the parasitological variables measured at necropsy suggested that H. contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis affected each other during co-infection. Shorter T. colubriformis was associated with greater H. contortus index and number whereas longer T. colubriformis was associated with a reduction in H. contortus number. Additionally, increased in IgA activity was associated with increased H. contortus length but a reduction in T. colubriformis index during co-infection. Together the findings show that eosinophils and IgA do play a role in the response of goats to gastrointestinal nematode infection, but the effects are less pronounced than in sheep. Moreover, the finding of a very low heritability of FEC is in contrast to findings in sheep. Most of the findings also suggest that the Boer breed is relatively resilient to infection but further work is needed to confirm whether these finding might be due to low infection doses. In conclusion, this study has expanded knowledge of the host-parasite relationship in goats as well as demonstrating interspecific nematode interactions between H. contortus and T. colubriformis, which commonly co-infect goats under natural conditions. However, future studies that overcome the limitations in the present study are needed to confirm the resistance status of Boer goats against these nematode species.

Malaysia’s determination to become a hub for Islamic banking in Southeast Asia has led the Central Bank of Malaysia to grant licenses to foreign Islamic banks to operate in the country. Due to the intense competition among Islamic banks, the introduction of more innovative products is projected to tap investment opportunities not only for Malaysia but also for the rapidly growing Southeast Asian region. This research assesses the significance of Malaysian Islamic banking since the introduction of the first Islamic bank two decades ago, and evaluates the competition among the Islamic banks in the country. The research evaluates the impact of foreign Islamic banks in Malaysia by measuring their contribution to the growth of the Malaysian Islamic banking industry. In relation to this, the study is designed to address three primary areas. First, to measure the performance of the Islamic banks in Malaysia by using financial ratios, data envelopment analysis (DEA), and the Malmquist Productivity Index. Second, to compare and evaluate the nature of competition and market structure of the Islamic banks in the country by employing the bank concentration ratio (CRk), Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), and the Panzar-Rosse (PR) model. Lastly, to validate the relationship between competition among Islamic banks in Malaysia and their financial performance. The selected financial ratios indicated that domestic Islamic banks performed better during the 2005 to 2012 period in terms of profitability, but the foreign Islamic banks excelled in terms of liquidity, risk, and solvency ratios. DEA results showed that the domestic Islamic banks are considered more efficient with the majority of domestic Islamic banks outperforming the foreign Islamic banks. Banks like Maybank Islamic, CIMB Islamic, and Alliance Islamic are considered among the top performers for technical efficiency and scale efficiency. The study also found that based on the Malmquist Productivity Index, the least efficient banks based on DEA have improved in technical efficiency, technology, and total factor productivity (TFP). The study also found that between 2008 and 2012, the Malaysian Islamic banking industry operated in monopolistic competition conditions with a moderately concentrated market structure. The introduction of foreign Islamic banks caused the market structure to become more competitive and less concentrated by comparing the results that include foreign Islamic banks against results generated with a subsample of domestic Islamic banks only. BNM’s financial reform and liberalisation of financial system proved to induce competition making the financial system more resilient, competitive, and dynamic. The Islamic banks have recorded consistent increased annual performance with the under-performing Islamic banks catching up to the top performers.

This thesis is concerned with the synthesis and characterisation of a series of functionalised bis-picolinamide ruthenium and rhodium dihalide complexes that have the potential to be developed as anti-cancer agents and catalysts. Their structural characterisations and, anti-cancer and catalytic activities were explored and investigated. There are more than thirty novel bis-picolinamide ruthenium dihalide complexes [RuX2L2] and six bis-picolinamide rhodium dihalide complexes [RhX2L2] (where X is chloride or iodide, and L is the functionalised bidentate picolinamide ligand) synthesised and fully characterised. X-ray crystallography showed the picolinamide ligands are bonded in N,N- and N,O- coordination modes to the metal centre. Three different geometries were seen for the dichloride complexes which were cis-cis-cis, cis-trans-cis and trans-trans-trans, whereas only the trans geometry was seen for the diiodide complexes. UV-Vis solution studies of the Ru complexes have shown no visible changes in the spectra over a range of days and temperature. Powder diffraction of Ru dichloride gave inconclusive data, however Ru diiodide complexes showed evidence of trans structural stability. As Ru(III) complexes are not amendable to study by NMR, Rh analogues were prepared to analyse their structural characterisation. The results have shown that there is a possible mixture of three different isomers within the Rh dichloride complexes, whereas the Rh diiodide only showed trans isomer, confirming that the diiodide complexes both for Ru and Rh are stable in structure conformations. There has been much interest in developing new metal-based anti-cancer complexes since the successful discovery of cisplatin. Ru-based complexes have become one of the most promising groups of complexes, having cytotoxic properties but not significantly affecting normal healthy cells. Bis-picolinamide Ru dihalide complexes were tested against a variety of cancer cell lines to determine the cytotoxicity. It was found that the cytotoxicity increases when changing the halide ligands from dichloride to diiodide, and when the substituents on the phenyl ring of the ligands are meta or para chloro or bromo substituents. Complexes 4.8 and 4.13 are the two most promising anti-cancer complexes, which are potent both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Following the cytotoxicity studies, selected complexes were examined for hydrolysis and hydrophobicity. The most cytotoxic Ru dichloride complex hydrolyses more and undergoes the fastest hydrolysis, which is in contrast with Ru diiodide complexes, by which the most cytotoxic complex undergoes the least hydrolysis. There are very few correlations observed between the cytotoxicity and log P values of the Ru dichloride complexes, suggesting that the cell uptake mechanism may not relate to their cytotoxic anti-cancer activities. The ongoing research on catalytic transfer hydrogenation reaction is targeted towards metal catalysts that can favour high activity under mild operating conditions. Several bis-picolinamide Ru and Rh dihalide complexes were studied as catalysts in the reduction of benzaldehyde. The complexes that were selected for the studies have several components that can be used to investigate their structural-activity relationships. In general, the diiodide analogues of the catalysts are more active than the dichloride analogues. In combination of the dihalide ligands with the appropriate functionalised picolinamide ligands can improve their catalytic activities. There is a contrasting activity seen between Ru and Rh catalysts, whereby their catalytic activities are affected by different components of the catalysts. Ru catalyst may be largely affected by the different functionalised picolinamide ligands, whereas Rh catalysts have showed difference in activities when changing the X ligands.

Reclined seats in transport suggest luxury and comfort, but a review of the literature revealed little study of how backrest inclination influences the discomfort caused by vibration of a seat or a backrest. This thesis seeks to advance understanding of the influence of backrest inclination on vibration discomfort and provides a model for evaluating vibration discomfort and metrics for optimising seats with different backrest inclinations. Vibration discomfort depends on the direction and location of vibration input to the body. Subjects used magnitude estimation to judge vibration magnitudes from thresholds of perception up to 2 ms-2 r.m.s. at the 11 preferred 1/3-octave centre frequencies from 2.5 to 25 Hz. The first two experiments determined absolute thresholds and discomfort with x-axis backrest vibration (Experiment 1) and z-axis backrest vibration (Experiment 2) with four backrest inclinations (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° from vertical). The third experiment investigated discomfort with vertical seat pan vibration and five backrest conditions (no backrest and backrest inclined to 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°). With x-axis vibration of the back, inclining the backrest had similar effects on thresholds and equivalent comfort contours. Thresholds increased at frequencies from 4 to 8 Hz with increasing inclination of the backrest. With inclined backrests, 40% greater magnitudes of vibration were required from 4 to 8 Hz, to cause discomfort equivalent to that with the upright backrest. Frequency weighting Wc in current standards predicted discomfort and perception of x-axis vibration of the upright backrest (0°) but weighting Wb was more appropriate for inclined backrests. Frequency weighting Wd was appropriate for both discomfort and perception of z-axis vibration of the back at all backrest inclinations. With vertical seat acceleration, the frequency of greatest sensitivity decreased with increasing vibration magnitude. Compared to an upright backrest, around the main resonance of the body the vibration magnitudes required to cause similar discomfort were 100% greater with 60° and 90° backrest inclinations and 50% greater with a 30° backrest inclination. The fourth experiment investigated whole-body vertical vibration on a rigid seat with no backrest and with four backrest inclinations. With an inclined backrest, discomfort caused by high frequency vibration increased at the head or neck but discomfort at the head or neck caused by low frequencies (5 and 6.3 Hz) reduced. With inclined backrests, the procedures in current standards overestimate overall discomfort at frequencies around 5 and 6.3 Hz but underestimate discomfort caused by frequencies greater than about 8 Hz. The final experiment investigated a model for predicting vibration discomfort with three compliant reclined seats. At each frequency, the measured seat dynamic discomfort, MSDD (the ratio of the vibration acceleration required to cause similar discomfort with a compliant seat and a rigid reference seat), was compared with seat effective amplitude transmissibility, SEAT value (the ratio of overall ride values with a compliant seat and a rigid reference seat using the weightings in current standards). The compliant seats increased vibration discomfort at frequencies around the 4-Hz resonance but reduced vibration discomfort at frequencies greater than about 6.3 Hz. The SEAT values provided appropriate indications of how the foam increased vibration discomfort at some frequencies but decreased vibration discomfort at other frequencies. Differences between the SEAT values and the measured seat dynamic discomfort are consistent with the need for different frequency weightings when the body is supported by an inclined backrest. An empirical model was evolved from the experiments for predicting vibration discomfort with reclined seats. It is concluded that reclining a backrest will tend to be detrimental at frequencies greater than about 10 Hz with greater discomfort in the head or neck induced by vibration of the backrest. At frequencies around 5 and 6.3 Hz, reclining a backrest can reduce discomfort.

The objective of this study is to investigate public preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for the attributes provided at the Malaysian Agricultural Park (MAP) in Shah Alam (SA), Selangor. The study also estimates individuals’ WTP for the attributes of a generic recreational park and investigates the transferability of these estimates to MAP. This exercise is undertaken by asking a sample of residents in Kuala Lumpur (KL) to value a hypothetical park in KL. Qualitative and quantitative methods are applied to undertake this study. The former include focus group meetings and stakeholder interviews which are used to determine appropriate park attributes and their levels. The latter use Choice Experiments (CEs) to investigate respondents’ preferences for these attributes. A face-to-face questionnaire survey is employed to collect information from respondents. The usable sample sizes achieved in KL and SA are 188 and 169, respectively. Data analysis methods employed include multinomial, random parameter logit, and latent class modelling. The qualitative approaches suggest that visitor amenities, recreational facilities, information, and natural attractions are the most relevant park attributes for visitors. Analysis of CE data indicates that respondents in KL had the highest preference for recreational facilities, followed by visitor amenities, natural attractions and information. In SA, the order of preference is recreational facilities, visitor amenities and information. The CE results also show that the samples in KL and SA are willing to pay for improvement in the attributes. The benefit transfer study yielded mixed results with evidence to support the transferability of some estimates but not others. Finally, the study yields several recommendations on the provision and pricing of facilities and amenities to those involved in the management and development of MAP and other recreational parks in Malaysia.

This research investigated the library end-users' perceptions of their training needs in relation to using the electronic information resources in selected public universities in Malaysia. It also investigated the training methods preferred by end-users in learning how to use electronic information resources. The subjects of the study were university students and academic staff from three selected public universities in Malaysia. They comprised 433 students and 223 academic staff. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. The main data was gathered through self-administered questionnaires, while the supplementary data was gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Opinions from the librarians responsible for end-user training at the three university libraries were also sought through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Comparisons were made between the two groups of end-users, namely, students and academic staff in areas related to the problems of the study. Appropriate non-parametric statistical techniques such as cross-tabulation, chisquare test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test were applied in analysing the data measured at both nominal and ordinal scales. Among the major findings were: (1) a statistically significant differences were found between students and academic staff in terms of knowledge and ability in using electronic information resources. Many academic staff were more knowledgable and able to use electronic information resources than students. However, concerning knowledge in using certain IT facilities, many more students than academic staff knew how to use them; and (2) both students and academic staff preferred one-to-one training methods as their first choice. With regard to the second choice of training method, students preferred computerassisted instruction (CAI), while academic staff preferred library workshops with hands-on training. Recommendations based on the research findings were made.

This study is a study on educational costs. Its main focus is recurrent costs in secondary schools in the state of Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia. It is concerned with issues pertaining to the relationship among educational costs, the distribution of costs among inputs and how various inputs are utilised in teaching and learning. Two basic themes form the basis of the study - the efficiency and equity in resource utilisation and distribution. The study is firstly an analysis of cost quantities and their distribution by the various educational inputs; personnel inputs - teachers and non-teaching staff, and non-personnel /non-salary inputs. Secondly, the study focuses on the rate of teacher utilisation in terms of their time on tasks. This is done by undertaking a survey of teaching loads and class size. Thirdly, the study pursued the issue of equity in the distribution of educational resources by undertaking a survey of teacher salaries and teaching experience as well as by analysing fiscal school income by means of capitation grants. Findings from the research uncover variations in costs in schools. Factors affecting costs were mainly the pupil teacher ratio, teacher costs, boarding costs and nonpersonnel costs in Vocational schools. The inherent dominance of teacher costs in the teaching industry is also confirmed by this research. The study also provides evidence of wastage in teacher utilisation, maldistribution of teacher' quality', disparities in the distribution of fiscal non-personnel resources, suggesting to an extent inefficiencies and inequalities in the pattern of recurrent costs in schools. There was also an overwhelming advantage in economies of scale. In summary, the study revealed that educational costs analysis can help in the following areas namely in the identification of cost quantities, factors affecting costs, rates of utilisation of educational resources and the distribution of resources. Major findings from the study show possible applications to planning and policymak:ing. Areas identified are in cost estimations and evaluation, cost comparisons for various purposes, management and control of resomces, efficiency and equity considerations in utilising and distributing of educational resources. In the context of the recent economic crisis, education in Malaysia will be faced with pressures both from the fiscal and demographic fronts. In this condition, it will be Abstract 111 difficult even to maintain the current level of expenditure on education. Research findings from this study can therefore be a recipe for cost saving and cost containment. Policies that promote efficient use of existing scarce resources are obviously necessary. Above all, a prerequisite vital to all this is an urgent need to strengthen the informational basis for cost analysis in Malaysia.

The research described in this thesis provides a comparative study of the impact of Process Safety Management System (PSMS) performance and Human Error rates on off-site risk from two major hazards sites in Malaysia. One of the sites was built and run by a multinational company until a few years ago while the other was built and run by a local company since its inception. The sites handle bulk quantities of ammonia for downstream distribution. The study considers: the assessment of the sites PSMS performance using a structured audit technique the assessment of human error potential from ammonia road-tanker filling operations assessing the impact of site PSMS and human error potential on off-site risk from the sites investigating the possibility of linking the assessment of site PSMS performance with human error potential Results of Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) conducted on the two sites showed a significant difference in terms of individual and societal risk when site specific PSMS performance and human error potential are taken into consideration. The use of site specific Management Factor (MF) and site specific Human Error Probabilities (HEPs) produces a significant impact on the results of the off-site risk as compared to estimates of risk based only on generic failure rates. This finding emphasized the need to consider explicitly the contribution of site specific PSMS performance and human error potential in major hazard risk assessment especially in developing countries like Malaysia where there exists significant differences on these factors between locally owned and multinational sites. The approach to link the results of the site specific PSMS performance audit with the assessment of human error potential was found to be inadequate to describe all the influences which will be exerted on the reliability of individual tasks involving human error potential.

The study is an attempt to highlight some of the problems and obstacles that hinder Christian-Muslim peaceful co-existence in the post-independence Malaysia and Nigeria. Although our main concentration is based on issues found in these two cou Being once parts of the British Empire both Malaysia and Nigeria have some things in common. Both were bequeathed secular education, secular government and more important, Christian missions. In pre-independence Malaysia and Nigeria, Islam had As to whether any possible co-operation between Muslims and Christians is tenable, this study undertakes to procure some empirical data to support its argument. For this a set of questionnaires was formulated and respondents were sampled from.

The main intention of this thesis is to examine ‘green’ Islam, specifically that of the Muslim community in Indonesia, by exploring what Pesantren Annuqayah has done in dealing with environmental issues and problems. Borrowing Eriksen’s term (2015) in the introduction to his influential book Small Places, Large Issues, I attempt to depict the particular and local, the ‘small place’ by exploring the way Pesantren Annuqayah conceptualizes and practices the environment based on religious (Islamic) and social foundations. At the same time, I also correlate my ethnographic reflection with theoretical issues in the study of religion and ecology (large issue). The empirical basis for this thesis is an outline of local responses to environmental problems based on religious (Islamic) and social foundations interpreted and practiced by Pesantren Annuqayah. Given the exploration and analysis through ethnographic study of Pesantren Annuqayah and by comparing it to another pesantren, Modern Daarul Uluum Lido, I argue that, as the oldest Islamic education system and institution in Indonesia, pesantren can play a significant role in finding alternative ways to deal with current environmental problems. This ethnographic study on Pesantren Annuqayah identifies that the green vision of pesantren rooted in Islamic teachings has been developed since the first generation of the founder until today’s generation (the fourth generation). These religious foundations are embedded in Qur’anic verses, hadith (a collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad which, with accounts of his daily practice and in aqwalul ulama (legal opinions of Islamic clerics) related to environmental issues. These provide the theological, philosophical, and ethical foundations on which the pesantren translate and transform into green initiatives through the educational system and community engagement with local people. As an ethnographic reflection, I offer three propositions for the future of green pesantren in Indonesia. The first is a local initiative can contribute to overcoming global environmental problems. The second aspect is that pesantren are one of the best places for generating a green vision and seeding green initiatives. The third proposition is that while green pesantren are indeed a prospect for the future of sustainable development in Indonesian, they cannot move alone. Finally, this research is designed to enrich academic discourse and discussion on Islamic environmentalism, particularly within the new trend of green Islam and green pesantren in Indonesia, and generally to contribute to ethnographic studies in religion and ecology.

In 2012, Indonesia government confirmed the intention of developing a new international airport on the northern part of Bali. Building an airport is believed to be a stepping stone in improving the infrastructure and economic sectors of the area. On the other hand, building an airport on the untouched land, such as northern Bali, could negatively transform its natural, social, and cultural values. With the stunning unspoiled landscape and indigenous culture of Bali, the North Bali Airport is facing a big challenge on how to make a reasonable compromise that is minimise the negative and maximise positive of economic, environmental, social, and cultural impacts. Through an ecologically, socially, and culturally careful design, the impact on the land and the people can largely soften. One way to do it is to reintroduce the Tri Hita Kirana and bamboo as the local building material. Bamboo has prominent advantages ignored by most contemporary architects. This project aims to treat bamboo as a magnificent material which possesses the ability of constructing extraordinary architectural forms. Some parts of the airport will be hand-made from the hands of locals; as a result, it will strengthen the sense of belonging towards their airport. Finally, the North Bali Airport will answer everyone’s doubt. It will develop Bali in all aspects -economic, environmental, social, and cultural sectors. In addition, the North Bali Airport will have a distinct genius loci, a great advantage compared to the other placeless airports over the world.

This dissertation reports a study of how literacy in English language impacts on the process and experience of acquiring literacy in an Indonesian language within an ecological approach to language development in the three intersecting of Australian social context: schools, homes, and community. The philosophical base of this study is the concept of language ecology utilising Honberger‟s proposal „the continua of biliteracy (1989, 2002, 2003 & 2004) and Cummins‟ hypothesis of simultaneously bilingual child learning both languages (1984a, 1996). As no longitudinal study of biliteracy development in English and Indonesian has been conducted to date, this particular research is the first investigation of this process and provides an opportunity, specifically, to explore individual differences related to relative timing of biliteracy acquisition as well as age, personality, gender and experiences. Not only does this study provide insights that can challenge current educational policy in Indonesia, which discourages childhood bilingualism in the formal educational system, but also provide invaluable understandings of the learning processes in biliteracy for classroom teachers, parents and community members.

Antimicrobial N-halamine compounds were designed, synthesized and applied onto various materials to investigate and develop several properties of the N-halamine-based technologies. There are five projects covered in the study. In the first two projects several novel derivatives of a commercial N-halamine coating were synthesized to improve the several properties of the coating. The antibacterial activity, stability, and ultraviolet (UV) light resistance of the different derivatives were compared to attempt to ascertain the influence of electronic, steric, and hydrophobic/hydrophilic effects for the N-halamine biocidal materials. In the third project, a previously declared problem, the decomposition of para-aramid polymer when treated with bleach was investigated. Four mimics, representing the acid and the amine parts, of the para-aramid and meta-aramid polymers were synthesized. The degradation mechanism of the para-aramid polymer was stated. In the fourth project, efforts were employed to provide antimicrobial property on commercial products. In the first part, a commercial nanofilter was treated with two N-halamine coatings to provide contact biocidal property. The treatment conditions were optimized considering the commercial manufacturing. The antibacterial activitiy and filtration efficiency were evaluated after the treatments. In the second part, a commercial fiber containing N-H functionality was treated with acid and bleach to provide antimicrobial property. The antibacterial activity, UV light stability, and storage stability of the treated fibers were evaluated. In the last project; cellulose, starch and a commercial polymer containing N-H functionality were dissolved in a common solvent and then extruded into fibers. The physical properties and water absorbency characteristics of the composite fibers were evaluated. The antibacterial activity and UV light resistance of the chlorinated composite fibers were examined.

The basic aspects of the biology of the weta, Hemiandrus sp. (Orthoptera : Stenopelmatidae) were studied in an orchard, Horotane Valley, and in the laboratory during 1976 and 1977. The differences between preferred and least preferred ovi-position sites were investigated. Egg collections from the orchard showed that the mean fecundity was 50 ± 8 eggs. Fertility was in excess of 90 percent. The eggs have a winter quiescence and the presence of contact water was essential for egg development. A negative linear relationship between mean time for egg incubation with the time eggs were collected from the orchard was demonstrated as a potential tool for predicting field hatching. Hemiandrus sp. was reared from newly hatched nymphs to adulthood on various diets. Various aspects of nymphal biology were investigated using such reared colonies. The effects of the types of diets and the mould inhibitor on instar weight, duration and size were discussed. The effectiveness of the mould inhibitor in controlling mould growth was also discussed and the types of mortality factors recorded. Laboratory experiments using a starving technique showed that the most preferred food plant for Hemiandrus sp. was Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). Fathen (Chenopodium album L.) was also eaten as shown by field and laboratory investigations but was a far less preferred species than prairie grass. Hemiandrus sp. did not feed on spottedbur medick (Medicago arabica L.) and Oxalis sp., the other major orchard flora constituents. Using pitfall traps, it was shown that hatching commenced in December during the 1976/1977 season. There were two overlapping populations present during the summer months. There was a preponderance of males at all stages where sex could be identified. The dispersion of the first five instars was negative binomial. The weekly dispersion of the male adults was generally negative binomial but that of the female was adequately described by the Poisson series. There was no difference in catch whether a trap was placed on the northern or the southern side of a tree. The soil moisture content and atmospheric temperature accounted for 80 percent of the variance in pitfall catch in the [fraction here] and 81 percent in the [fraction here] population. There was a difference in behaviour between adult males and females. Damage patterns and economic impact were examined during the 1976/1977 season. Fruit damage was caused by mature females. The percentage of apricots damaged varied with time. Each apricot cluster was equally susceptible to weta attack. There appeared to be no significant difference in fruit damage between and within trees and within stems. Potential control measures and their cost benefit analysis were discussed.

87: 866-70, 1952