39506 research outputs found
Sort by
A qualitative study of knowledge transfer on pepper farmers' agriculture practices
Get PDFMalaysia is the fifth-largest pepper exporter in the world, after Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, and India. Distribution of the right knowledge to pepper farmers will produce high output for the country. To ensure that agriculture produces sufficient food, farmers need the right incentives, knowledge, and technology to enable the distribution of the right knowledge to pepper farmers that can produce high pepper output for the country. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the impacts of knowledge transfer on farmers' knowledge of pepper cultivation. A phenomenological approach to gathering qualitative
data was conducted to allow an in-depth understanding of the farmer’s experience. A series of semi-structured interviews was conducted with six pepper growers in Sarawak.
The data from the interview was analysed using the thematic analysis method. The findings indicated that knowledge transfer programs have benefited pepper farmers in
many ways. The participants experienced knowledge enhancement to increase productivity. They shared how the recommended varieties help to increase pepper productivity. They were also exposed to new inventions that could help them produce quality berries, such as an application called NutriLada. This application helps in managing the pepper production. The programs also taught them how to identify pests and diseases that are affecting their pepper, such as white root disease or aphids. Apart from that, participants also showed proper planting management to improve or maintain plant performance. This study provided beneficial insights for the relevant agencies, not necessarily pepper plantation agencies only but other agricultural agencies to enhance their programs and implementation plans in transferring the knowledge to farmers in the country
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Psychological Flexibility among Healthcare Workers : Emotional strain in Sarawak tertiary hospitals
Get PDFThis cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between Compassion Fatigue (CF), Burnout (BO), and Psychological-Flexibility (PF) among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) in Sarawak government hospitals. Results showed that 45.7% of HCWs experienced CF, while 52.4% reported personal
burnout (PB), 17.8% work-related burnout (WB), and 10.9% client-related burnout (CB). The mean PF score was 81.7 (SD = 16.3). Multivariate analysis revealed significant associations between gender and CF (p < .001), marital status and PB (p = .046), then work-position and CB (p = .025), suggesting that sociodemographic factors significantly influence occupational stress. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions support HCWs
well-being
The Mechanism of Vertical Fiscal Imbalance Affecting High-Quality Economic Development : A 3SLS Estimation Based on Local Government Tax Effort and Expenditure Structure.
Get PDFAgainst the backdrop of China’s transition toward high-quality economic development, it is imperative to explore the mechanisms through which the fiscal system influences
development quality. This study employs panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2008 to 2022 and applies a Three-Stage Least Squares (3SLS) estimation to examine the impacts of vertical fiscal imbalance, local government tax effort, and expenditure structure on high-quality economic development. The results reveal that vertical fiscal imbalance not only directly constrains development quality but also exerts indirect effects by weakening tax effort and increasing the proportion of livelihood-related public expenditures. The decomposition of effects shows that the direct effect dominates in the tax effort pathway, whereas the indirect effect is more pronounced in the expenditure structure pathway. The findings suggest that region-specific policies and optimized fiscal decentralization are essential to promoting sustainable development
Survival rates of cervical cancer patients in Sarawak : a single-centre referral study
Get PDFAbstract
Background Cervical cancer represents a significant health challenge in Malaysia, especially in the state of Sarawak
which records some of the highest incidence rates across the country. This study evaluates the survival rates of
cervical cancer patients in Sarawak, focusing on demographic characteristics, disease stage and survival outcomes to
inform healthcare strategies.
Methods A retrospective case notes review of disease stage, patterns of care and survival outcomes of patients
diagnosed with cervical cancer at Sarawak General Hospital between January 2018 to December 2022 was
conducted. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox Regression analysis were performed to assess survival outcomes
and factors influencing survival.
Results A total of 555 patients were included in this review. The majority of patients were diagnosed between the
ages of 40 and 59, with a mean age of 53 years. Ibans comprised the largest subgroup by ethnicity. Only 11.2% of
patients were diagnosed with Stage I disease. The majority of patients were diagnosed at advanced stages III and
IV. The overall 5-year survival rate was 59.4%. Factors significantly affecting survival included FIGO cancer stage and ethnicity.
Conclusions Diagnosis at advanced stages of disease lead to poorer clinical outcomes in cervical cancer patients
in Sarawak. This study highlights the critical need for enhanced screening and early diagnosis to improve survival
rates amongst cervical cancer patients Sarawak. Efforts should focus on improving cervical health literacy, expanding access to healthcare services and improving the uptake of HPV vaccination and cervical screening particularly in rural communities
Antibiotic resistance of Vibrio cholerae isolated from environmental water and clinical samples
No full textVibrio species are classified as potential hazards because of their tendency to impart serious diseases that can cause death if not well treated. The symptoms associated with
a Vibrio spp. infection are usually gastrointestinal, commonly expressed as watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Vibrio cholerae is a
foodborne bacterial pathogen that may cause infections in humans through the ingestions of food and water contaminated with this microorganism. The emergence of antimicrobial
and multidrug-resistant bacteria is another serious global health concern. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat infections in humans,animals, and in aquaculture to prevent
bacterial diseases. In this study, the antibiotic susceptibility test of V. cholerae in environmental water and clinical samples were determined. V. cholerae were isolated from environmental water samples (n = 3), moore swab (n = 6), stool (n = 2) and rectal swab (n = 15). The isolation and confirmation of the presumptive of Vibrio cholerae was performed by using 2 types of selective agar, Thiosulfate Citrate bile salts sucrose agar and CHROMAgar Vibrio, and were identified using the API 20E microtest. Antimicrobial resistance profiles were determined using a disk diffusion assay against 22 antibiotics. The Vibrio cholerae isolates showed high to moderate resistance (2
or more antibiotics) to ampicillin, amoxycillin, bacitracin, cephalothin, gentamicin, imipenem, kanamycin, meropenem, penicillin, rifampin, spectinomycin, streptomycin, but
were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline, ceftazidime, amoxycillin, norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, imipenem, amikacin and norfloxacin. Interestingly, all (100%) of the isolates were resistant to bacitracin and penicillin, while multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index ranged from 0.09 to 0.27.
Only 2 isolates have high reading of MAR index exceeding 0.2. Hence, considering the possible changing patterns in consumption of certain antibiotics in clinical and agricultural settings and the implementation of new antibiotics, it is necessary to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of V. cholera and to employ the most effective antibiotic treatment
Digital Interventions as Social Support for Adolescent Psychosocial Development and Educational Policy Malaysia : A Conceptual Review
Get PDFThe Digital Education Policy (DEP) aims to cultivate a generation of digitally fluent individuals who possess knowledge, value studentsandenhance skills and infrastructure across preschool to post-secondary education levels. Previous studies highlight the potential of digital interventions in addressing social issues among adolescents, particularly in providing social support. Despite growing use of digital tools in education, limited research has explored how these technologies can be systematically integrated to provide social and emotional support for adolescents. This gap highlights the need to review existing interventions and their potential for fostering psychosocial development. This review grounded in typological approach prior research—particularly studies conducted in Malaysia—to examine policies concerning the integration of digital technology. The effectiveness of interventions by teachers can influence adolescents' psychosocial well-being in addressing contemporary challenges. Hence, the future research of proposed digital intervention could empirically explore, examine and validate as presented in educational system through implementing nationality education policy
The Elderly-Friendly Housing Neighbourhood Preferred Features by Generations in Malaysia
Get PDFThe continuous rise of the ageing population requires more attention to the refined concept of Elderly-Friendly (EF) Housing Neighbourhoods to meet the diverse needs of the elderly (seniors). The EF housing concept is an Age-Restricted Housing Concept with Assisted and Non-Assisted types. This study aims to outline the Elderly-Friendly Housing Neighbourhood Preferences Features of Malaysian Generations. The objectives of this study: (i) To define the generations; (ii) To identify the Elderly-Friendly Housing Neighbourhoods' Preference Features; and (iii) To determine the main preferred features of Elderly-Friendly Housing Neighbourhoods by Generations in Shah Alam, Selangor. The generations here refer to The Baby Boomers, Generation X (Gen-X), Generation Y (Gen-Y), and Generation Z (Gen-Z). The study adopted a mixed-methods approach. The five (5) main Elderly-Friendly Neighbourhood Preferences Features derived: (i) Services and Facilities, (ii) Physical Environment, (iii) Design, (iv) Location, and (v) Social. This study offers vital information to the housing providers, which will assist in providing better housing for the elderly (seniors)
A systematic review of paper-based and digital board games for collaborative science learning
Get PDFThis study reviews the literature on board games for
collaborative learning in science education, analysing
76 articles from 2000 to 2024. It examines research
methodologies, data collection tools, sample sizes,
and data analysis methods, focusing on subject areas
and types of board games used. Key findings reveal
a predominance of physical (paper-based) board
games. Research methodologies were primarily
quantitative, with descriptive analysis being the most
common approach, typically employing varied sample
sizes (median 48.5 participants). Evidence suggests
that board games can enhance scientific knowledge
acquisition, improve student engagement, and foster
collaborative skills. However, the review identifies
critical limitations in the existing literature, including
a prevalence of small sample sizes, a lack of longterm effectiveness studies, and insufficient focus on
specific game mechanisms. Future research should
prioritise investigating game mechanisms, explicitly
measuring collaborative learning outcomes, improving methodological rigour, and assessing long-term
impacts on knowledge retention
Mammal Species Composition and Activity Patterns Shift While Richness Remains Constant Across Elevational Gradients in Western Sarawak, Borneo
Get PDFChanges in species composition and diversity along elevational gradients remain poorly understood for many tropical taxa. Here we elucidate the distribution of mid- to large-bodied mammals along elevational gradients in northwestern Borneo. We deployed camera traps at 209 stations using stratified sampling across seven elevation categories at six protected areas from 2014 to 2017, recording 33 mammal species. Species richness was not statistically related to elevation, but species composition shifted in response to opposing effects of elevation on the occurrence of different taxa. No species were restricted to the lowlands, but occurrence of common palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), thick-spined porcupine (Hystrix crassispinis), and long-tailed porcupine (Trichys fasciculata) was higher at low elevations. In contrast, occurrence of masked palm civet (Paguma larvata),
pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina), and Malay weasel (Mustela nudipes) increased with elevation, and two species - Hose's Civet (Diplogale hosei) and Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) - were only detected in the highlands (>700 m). Species tended to shift their activity patterns in low versus high elevation forests, though the magnitude of these effects was small. Most species that we detected currently have broad elevational ranges; nevertheless, protecting forest across elevational gradients remains critical so that if climate change forces species to abandon the lowlands, they have habitat connections to higher-elevation refugia
Identity and power differential in academic communities among Southeast Asian international graduate students in the US
Get PDFAbstract Purpose – The objective of this research was to investigate the dynamics of identity and power within academic communities in the United States, specifically focusing on international graduate students from Southeast Asia. The study focused on exploring the lived experiences of Southeast Asian international graduate students at a university in the Midwest. The theoretical underpinnings of the research drew upon the poststructuralist understanding of identity and the community of practice framework (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Design/methodology/approach – Various methods were employed, including reflective journals, documents and interviews, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the participants’ experiences and perspectives regarding their identity construction and participation in academic communities. Findings – The research revealed that identity among Southeast Asian international graduate students is fluid and subject to constant negotiation. Participants reported experiencing multiple layers of identities, including their national identity, cultural identity and academic identity, which were influenced by interactions within the academic community. The study uncovered power dynamics that affect Southeast Asian international graduate students’ experiences. Power relationships were observed within the academic community, where students’ ability to participate, contribute and be recognized was influenced by factors such as language proficiency, cultural background and perceived academic competence. Research limitations/implications – The study focused on a specific group of participants – Southeast Asian international graduate students at a university in the Midwest. The limited sample size may restrict the generalizability of the findings to a broader population of international graduate students or academic communities in different regions of the United States or other countries. The research centred on Southeast Asian international graduate students, which may introduce cultural and regional bias in the findings. Different cultural backgrounds and regional contexts of participants from other parts of the world could yield different dynamics of identity and power within academic communities. Practical implications – To overcome cultural and regional bias, future researchers and educators should aim to diversify the participant pool. Including international graduate students from various cultural backgrounds and geographical regions will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of identity and power within academic communities. Additionally, the insights from this study can offer guidance to educators in higher education institutions by highlighting the challenges faced by international graduate students and providing recommendations for their support. Social implications – The research highlights the importance of cultural understanding and empathy within academic communities. Recognizing the diversity of cultural backgrounds and experiences among international students fosters a more inclusive and respectful environment where students from different regions feel valued and understood. Additionally, understanding and navigating cultural differences require intercultural competence. Institutions can develop programmes and initiatives that promote intercultural competence among students, faculty and staff, enhancing their ability to interact effectively in diverse settings. Originality/value – While studies on international students in academic communities are common, this research specifically targets a subset of students from Southeast Asia. This specialized focus allows for a deeper exploration of the unique experiences, challenges and dynamics that this particular group of students faces within the academic context. The adoption of a poststructuralist understanding of identity in the research adds theoretical novelty. This framework emphasizes the fluid and complex nature of identities, challenging traditional fixed notions of identity construction. By applying this lens to the experiences of international students, the research offers a fresh perspective on how identity is shaped within academic communities