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Navigating the Currents: The Language Ecology of Limbang Bisaya
No full textThe discipline of ecolinguistics, also known as language ecology, is a field pioneered by Haugen (1972). It uses
environmental ecology as a metaphor for a language's environment, focusing on key topics such as language
diversity, the challenges faced by minority languages, and language preservation and loss. This paper explores
the language ecology of the Bisaya, a minority ethnic group in Limbang, Sarawak. A literature review reveals
that studies on the Bisaya language are very limited, and the language's vitality status remains unknown. To
identify this status, the study employs interviews and observation to understand the position of Bisaya within its
multilingual environment. The findings indicate that the languages present in the Bisaya language ecology are
Iban, the Sarawak Malay dialect, the Brunei Malay dialect, and Colloquial Malay. Within this linguistically
diverse ecology, Bisaya speakers generally master these languages for various interactional purposes. They also
maintain a good command of their native Bisaya language, although signs of decline are present. The survey
confirms that the Bisaya mother tongue remains the primary language of interaction within the community.
Ultimately, the choice of an external language is highly dependent on the domain and the interlocutor's
background
AUTOMATED CLASSIFICATION AND COUNTING OF VEHICLES USING DEEP LEARNING APPROACH
No full textThe rapid increase in automobile traffic in and around cities presents significant challenges for transportation management, infrastructure planning, and overall system viability. Conventional vehicle classification and counting techniques, which are mostly manual or sensor-based, are often constrained by inefficiency, labor intensity, and limited scalability in real-time applications. This paper proposes a deep learning approach for real-time classification and enumeration of vehicles using one-dimensional signals from piezoelectric sensors. The 1D-CNN was trained, using convolutional layers with small kernel sizes to stack, so that the temporal dependencies of sensor signals could be well learned, pooling and fully connected layers used to extract features with high strength. The model was trained using a hybrid dataset with field-collected sensor data and synthetically generated signals generated with traffic simulation tools to cover a classes of vehicles and road conditions, which guarantees the ability to scale and generalization. The proposed model is shown to perform well as it has a classification accuracy of 0.99, and mean Average Precision (mAP) of 0.98 on five different vehicle classes. Moreover, its performance was checked with the unseen data, which proved high generalization ability. The solution has potential to be deployed on edge computing devices because it is computationally efficient to support a realistic application of traffic monitoring
Clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue in an elderly male
No full textIntroduction: Clear Cell Sarcoma of Soft Tissue (CCSST) is a rare, aggressive sarcoma with melanocytic differentiation, often termed “malignant melanoma of soft parts.” It
primarily affects young adults aged 20–40 and commonly arises in tendons or aponeuroses of the extremities. Cases in older patients are uncommon, making diagnosis challenging.
Case report: We describe a 68-year-old male who presented with a progressively enlarging, painless right thigh mass over five months, measuring 15x15 cm. He experienced weight
loss and loss of appetite. MRI revealed an aggressive mass. Gross examination showed a poorly defined, greyish-tan tumour with areas of necrosis and haemorrhage. No obvious
skin lesion was noted. Histologically, the tumour consisted of pleomorphic and spindle cells with vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli and focal melanin pigmentation.
Immunohistochemistry was strongly positive for S100 and HMB45, with focal positivity for Melan A, supporting a diagnosis of CCSST. Surgical excision with clear margins was
achieved. Discussion: CCSST primarily affects young adults, but occurrences in elderly patients are rare. The genetic hallmark, EWSR1-ATF1 fusion, remains consistent across
age groups. Accurate diagnosis requires combining histology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular analysis. Surgical excision with clear margins remains the most effective
treatment. However, systemic therapies offer limited benefit, especially in advanced cases.
This case emphasises the need for considering CCSST in differential diagnoses across all age groups
Fidelity Analysis of the Adapted DeprEnd EMDR Therapy Protocol for Depression-related Disability in Low-resource Settings
No full textMajor depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with a disproportionately high burden in low- and middle-income countries. To address this disability, experts have recently acknowledged the importance of culturally adapted psychotherapies, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy as a scalable intervention. In our previous study, we developed an adapted DeprEnd EMDR therapy protocol. Building upon that work, this study assesses its treatment fidelity. The present study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to evaluate treatment fidelity by assessing therapist adherence and competence. Fidelity was evaluated sequentially. Initially, a Delphi panel of three EMDR experts qualitatively assessed fidelity by reviewing recordings of 14 sessions from four randomly selected patients. Later, to collect quantitative data, separate questionnaires were provided to the three EMDR expert raters and to the four EMDR therapists—who had delivered the therapy. Findings revealed strong therapist adherence and competence to the core DeprEnd EMDR therapy protocol guidelines. Key barriers threatened fidelity, including patient-related factors, such as stigma and low mental health literacy, which complicated patient engagement, and systemic constraints, such as time limitations, which occasionally led therapists to shorten or omit certain protocol elements. This fidelity study has important implications. The findings demonstrated that the adapted DeprEnd protocol can be delivered efficiently. This study concludes that the delivery of the adapted DeprEnd EMDR protocol is feasible in Pakistan. This finding is a critical first step toward implementing an intervention that can reduce depression-related disability in a low-resource context
Blood Group Dynamics: Investigating the Link Between ABO/Rh Blood Groups and Metabolic Health Among the University Students
No full textIntroduction: The ABO system is present on the surface of red blood cells as well as in various human tissues,
including platelets, epithelium, sensory neurons, and vascular endothelium. Increasing evidence suggests a link
between the ABO blood group and the emergence of several disorders, particularly cardiovascular diseases.
Materials & Methods: A total of 104 medical undergraduates participated in this cross-sectional study from January to
June 2024. Sociodemographic data and relevant family history were obtained from each student. Clinical parameters
such as the ABO blood group, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting total cholesterol, and
triglyceride of each student were measured and recorded. These data were then analysed using the IBM SPSS
(version 27.0). Results: Blood group B was observed to be the most prevalent (n=36), followed by O (n=34), A (n=24),
and AB (n=10), with a significant majority (n=102) being Rhesus positive. A statistically significant association
between the specific ABO blood group and the different BMI classes was observed (p=0.02). However, no statistically
significant associations were observed between O and non-O blood groups with the fasting blood glucose, fasting
lipid and the different BMI classes (p>0.05). Discussion: The findings of this study indicate a possible connection
between a person's blood type and their BMI. Additional studies involving a larger sample size are required to
explore this further and validate any potential genetic influences on health
Integrating traditional kalimantan games into early childhood education: a participatory ethnographic study on holistic development and cultural sustainability
No full textThis study explores how integrating traditional Kalimantan games into early childhood education fosters holistic child development through culturally responsive and play-based learning. The purpose is to demonstrate that traditional play can function as an effective pedagogical model that integrates social, cognitive, and motor learning while preserving local cultural heritage. Using a participatory ethnographic design involving educators and children, the study combines qualitative observation with development indicators to evaluate learning outcomes. Inductive thematic analysis was supported by quantitative pre–post comparisons. Findings show that terompah panjang improved social cooperation and peer coordination (+33%); coconut shell running increased balance, agility, and persistence (+43%); and congklak strengthened numeracy, strategic thinking, and cultural pride (+35%). These results align with Vygotsky’s sociocultural perspective and Piaget’s developmental constructs, illustrating that culturally embedded play promotes integrated developmental domains. This research offers a replicable and low-cost learning model that bridges traditional play with contemporary educational demands. Beyond safeguarding intangible heritage, it presents a scalable framework adaptable to diverse early childhood settings. This study contributes to culturally responsive pedagogy, supports holistic learning, and strengthens inclusive educational environments aligned with Sustainable Development Goals on health, quality education, and cultural sustainability
Evaluation of Cell Block Quality in Cytodiagnosis of Body Fluids Effusion
No full textIntroduction: Conventional cytology smears and cell block techniques are routinely used for cytologic assessment of
serous body effusion. Each technique shows varying diagnostic yield, cellular preservation and architectural
assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic quality of cytology smear slides and cell blocks prepared
from serous effusion samples. Methodology: A total of 144 cases of serous body effusion with its concurrent cell
block between year 2021 and 2023 were obtained. In each case, the slides of the conventional smears and its cell
block were assessed using the Mair Scoring System to determine the outcomes of diagnostic quality. Unsatisfactory
cytology cases were excluded from sampling. Result: The majority of cases were from pleural fluid (n= 98, 68.1%)
followed by peritoneal (n=40, 27.8%) and pericardial fluid (n= 6, 4.2%). The highest proportion of samples were
categorised as malignant effusion (56.3%). Diagnostically superior quality was mainly observed in conventional
cytological smears (n=80) as compared to cell block section (n= 43). Furthermore, a high number of cell block
samples were deemed diagnostically unsuitable (57 out of 144 samples, 40%). Statistical analysis showed a
significant association between different preparation methods and diagnostic outcome (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The
findings in this study emphasize the importance of good conventional smears and cell blocks in routine cytological
examination. Since many cell block protocols are practiced worldwide, it is important for individual cytology
laboratories to select the method most suitable for their needs, with ongoing quality monitoring
Biochar-based Composites : Preparation, Characterization and Applications
No full textThis book provides solid, quantitative descriptions and reliable guidelines, reflecting the maturation and demand of the field and the development of biochar-based composites. This book summarizes the fundamental approaches
and principles to prepare biochar-based composites. This book focuses on some important materials (metal oxide/hydroxide, magnetic, clay minerals, graphene
oxide, etc.) used for the production of the composites. The coverage of book highlights the most exciting applications of biochar-based composites in the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from waste water. The book is
useful for the academics and researchers who are interested in the development biochar-based composites with background in material science, chemical engineering, environmental engineering and environmental chemistry
Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan's Cyberspace: Governance Gaps, Dual-Use Dilemmas, and Strategic Vulnerabilities
No full textThis article examines Pakistan's evolving cyber governance as a critical case of how artificial intelligence (AI) intersects with dual-use security and fragile institutional design. Despite policy commitments, Pakistan's civilian-led cyber architecture remains fragmented, under-resourced and politically volatile, resulting in dependence on military-linked expertise and donor-driven technologies. Drawing on sixteen elite interviews and policymakers, technical experts, and defence strategies, the study identifies five structural vulnerabilities: institutional fragmentation, politicised leadership, underutilised AI infrastructure, civil-military disconnects, and exposure to state-sponsored cyber threats. Framed within dual-use governance and civil-military cyber relations theories, the findings show that Pakistan's insecurity arises less from technological scarcity than from governance dysfunction. The study concludes with policy recommendations from embedding AI within a coherent national doctrine, fostering civil-military integration, and enhancing cyber resilience under the emerging logic of Fifth-Generation Warfare