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Determinants of Tea Trade Potential Between China and Selected ASEAN Countries
No full textThis study examines the trade potential and factors influencing China’s tea exports to eight ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) using data from 1993 to 2022. The RCA model, an extended gravity model, and the PMG panel data analysis are used to explore trade dynamics, influencing factors, and developmental trends. Research highlights China’s and Vietnam’s strong comparative advantages in the tea trade, with China–Thailand trade showing increasing potential. In contrast, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia exhibit weaker competitiveness, while Indonesia’s competitiveness has declined. Key factors positively impacting trade include the GDPs, tea import volumes, and trade dependence of ASEAN countries, while geographical distance and the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affect trade. The trade potential analysis shows that the system has matured, with most ASEAN countries demonstrating indices close to or above 1, particularly Cambodia and Malaysia. Indonesia and Vietnam, however, show unrealized potential. Post-pandemic economic recovery, supported by cooperation and RCEP implementation, has strengthened trade potential. This study provides valuable insights into China’s tea trade competitiveness, offering practical recommendations for optimizing regional trade policies and fostering integration
SNAILS AND SLUGS
No full textThe phylum Mollusca is the second most diverse animal
phylum in the world, after the Arthropoda. Within the former, the order Gastropoda, comprising singleshelled organisms (conspicuous to reduced shells), is represented by an
estimated 500 species in Sarawak
Assessing Information Literacy Competencies Among University Students via MOOC
No full textStudents need information literacy to get through higher education and into the workplace. This increased
significance has resulted in the changing roles of academic librarians, especially in the provision of
information literacy instruction and in developing content for information literacy modules, which must
be relevant, detailed, and cater to the needs of learners. This research was conducted to investigate the
proficiency of self-directed learning among Malaysian university students in information literacy. A
tailored Information Literacy Massive Open Online Course (IL MOOC) was designed according to the
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher
Education. Students' information literacy skills were assessed with the University of Maryland (UMD)
Libraries Information Literacy Disposition Rubrics and analysed with descriptive statistics. Findings
indicated that the ability to understand how authority is embedded in a wide range of contexts was the
dimension of authority that students were best at recognising. Nonetheless, least developing performance
persisted in five more of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education categories among the majority of respondents. These results provide important implications for academic librarians, emphasising the particular aspects of information literacy instruction that should take priority. The findings also indicate that there could be certain factors, external or internal to students, determining students’ levels of involvement in the MOOC content, attending learning activities, submitting assignments, and ultimately completing the course
Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea : The Hidden Role of Vitamin D Deficiency
No full textObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-breathing
disorder, affecting an estimated 9–38% of adults worldwide, with prevalence increasing in parallel with rising obesity rates and aging population [1]. While men are still more likely to be diagnosed with OSA, this condition is becoming more common in women [2]. Coronary artery disease (CAD), a common complication of OSA, is driven by a combination of intermittent hypoxia, metabolic dysfunction, and systemic inflammation, which together accelerate atherosclerosis [3]. This underscores the importance of identifying modifiable factors to mitigate cardiovascular risks in these patients. A key mechanism linking OSA to heightened cardiovascular risks in CAD is cardiac autonomic dysfunction, characterized by increased sympathetic activity and reduced parasympathetic tone. These alterations can be assessed
through heart rate variability (HRV), a well-established predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes
Rewarding Happiness : The Impact of Total Rewards and Work Engagement on Academicians’ Well-Being
No full textThis study examines how total rewards and work engagement contribute to work happiness among academicians in selected public higher learning institutions in Sarawak. As academic
work becomes increasingly demanding, understanding the factors that foster happiness is vital for sustaining high performance, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. The study is motivated by the increasing demands on academicians and the need to better understand what sustains their happiness at work. Data were collected from 158 academicians and analysed using Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and Hayes PROCESS mediation analysis. Results show that both total rewards and work engagement significantly predict work happiness, with total rewards exerting the stronger influence. Together they explain
72.6% of the variance in work happiness. Mediation analysis further indicates that work engagement partially mediates the relationship between total rewards and work happiness,
suggesting that rewards enhance happiness both directly and indirectly by increasing engagement. These findings highlight the need for higher education institutions to develop comprehensive reward systems monetary, material, and non-monetary while simultaneously fostering work engagement. Such strategies can strengthen academic staff well-being,
improve retention and productivity, and ultimately support the quality and competitiveness of higher education. Future research should explore additional organizational and
psychological factors, such as leadership effectiveness and workplace culture, to broaden understanding of the mechanisms that sustain workplace happiness. It contributes by offering evidence from the Malaysian higher education context and by highlighting the role of engagement in translating rewards into happiness
BEETLES.
No full textBeetles, which belong to the order Coleoptera, are among the most abundant insects and are cosmopolitan as well as ubiquitous. They can be distinguished by their biting mouthparts and chitinous forewings, known as elytra, which serve as protective covers for their hindwings. Being
such a successful group, beetles play many ecological roles in tropical ecosystems, including as decomposers, pollinators, seed dispersal agents and natural predators. From an anthropogenic viewpoint, they can be perceived as
pests and biological control agents as well as bioindicators
The Seung (Sueng or Sung), a Plucked Fretted Lute from the Northern Region of Thailand
No full textThe seung instrument is played in one key (minor key) because the fret spacing creates a diatonic scale. Due to the fact that the frets are not uniformly spaced on the fretboard, the fret spacing produces a diatonic scale (do-re-mi-fa, etc.) instead of a chromatic scale of a guitar, where all the flats and sharps are available. The partial frequency (Hz) versus harmonic number for string 1 and 2 are very linear. The gradients of the linear equations fit very well with the fundamental frequency of the open string 1 and 2 and fret 1 to fret 9. The sounds were digitally captured using a PicoScope oscilloscope and were subsequently examined utilizing PicoScope software, emphasizing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The Time Frequency Analysis (TFA) was obtained via Adobe Audition. The notes for open string 1 and 2 are A4 followed by B4, C5, D5, E5, F5, G5, A5, B5, C6, and D4 followed by E4, F4, G4, A4, B4, C5, D5, E5, F5 from the 9 frets respectively. The 10 notes up to the 9th frets for string 1 and 2 are A4 to C5 and D4 to F5 respectively
The Influence of Online Service Quality towards Customer Satisfaction and Repurchase Intention in Chinese Fresh E-commerce
No full textChina’s fresh e-commerce has expanded rapidly, yet service-quality volatility, rising complaints, and unstable repurchase behavior persist. The category’s perishability, time sensitivity, cold-chain dependence, and high-frequency, low-ticket transactions make customer experience especially sensitive to fulfillment, logistics, customer service, and price perceptions. Against this backdrop, the study focuses on the mechanism linking service quality, satisfaction, and repurchase intention.
Existing research on fresh e-commerce provides incomplete empirical evidence on the service quality–satisfaction–repurchase mechanism. First, it relies heavily on cross-sectional questionnaires and lacks large-scale observations rooted in real purchasing and review contexts, limiting visibility into negative experiences and exception handling. Second, samples often come from a single platform or business model, overlooking heterogeneity across front-warehouse systems, store-warehouse integration, community group-buying, and comprehensive e-commerce, which constrains external validity. Third, prior work insufficiently distinguishes which service elements directly drive repurchase versus those that act primarily through satisfaction, and systematic mediation testing remains scarce. Therefore, there is a need to build and test an integrated model on multi-platform, real review data to clarify key paths and effect sizes linking service quality to satisfaction and repurchase.
This study tests the effects of online service-quality dimensions on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention and evaluates the mediating role of satisfaction. Specifically: (i) examine the effect of service quality on satisfaction; (ii) test the direct effect of service quality on repurchase intention; (iii) assess the effect of satisfaction on repurchase intention; and (iv) evaluate the mediating role of satisfaction in the relationship between service quality and repurchase intention.
Using 56,765 user reviews from JD Fresh, Dingdong Maicai, Yonghui Delivery, and Taocaicai, the study applies BERTopic to extract service topics and elements. Subsequently, Baidu NLP’s sentiment classifier assigns polarity (positive/neutral/negative) score to review texts mapped to each service-quality dimension, and the resulting scores are aggregated as measurement indicators. Direct and indirect effects are estimated via structural equation modeling (SEM), with mediation evaluated through bootstrap resampling.
Logistics service quality, customer service, and economic efficiency exhibit significant positive direct effects on repurchase intention. Fulfillment and ease of use significantly improve satisfaction but do not directly drive repurchase. Satisfaction both positively influences repurchase intention and plays a pivotal mediating role between service quality and repurchase.
Fresh e-commerce platforms should strengthen cold-chain operations, ensure on-time delivery, improve after-sales response, align pricing and membership benefits, and reduce errors in fulfillment and design. At the policy level, higher standards and review-based monitoring can promote healthier competition
From Ritual to Performance: A Semiotic Exploration of Ngayo Ritual in Bungan Religious Ceremonies
No full textThis research aims to examine the traditional religious ceremonies of the Orang Ulu
community through a semiotic analysis of symbolic elements, with a particular focus on the
Kayan people, an ethnolinguistic subgroup residing in the Long Amo longhouse, Belaga,
Sarawak. Emphasis on the Ngayo ritual, a central practice within the Bungan belief system,
which came before the arrival of Christianity in the Orang Ulu community. Performed as an
offering to the goddess Doh Tenangan, the Ngayo ritual seeks to ensure protection,
prosperity, health, and the expulsion of misfortune and taboo. Despite the widespread
influence of Christianity since 1948, a minority of households in Long Amo continue to
practise the Bungan tradition. Data for this research were collected through ethnographic
methods, including participant observation, documentation, and interviews with local
informants. The analysis employs Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic theory in conjunction
with Richard Schechner’s performance theory to interpret the symbolic and performative
dimensions of the ritual. The findings highlight the resilience of indigenous belief systems
and their evolving role within contemporary cultural contexts. This study contributes to a
deeper understanding of the traditional practices among the Kayan and underscores the
importance of preserving ritual diversity within the broader Orang Ulu community.
Keywords: Belaga, Bungan, Kayan, Long Amo, Orang Ulu, Semioti
Validating the Malay Version of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge and Attitudes Questionnaires
No full textAbstract
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) knowledge is crucial for informed decision-making, yet cultural barriers in Malaysia limit open discussions, creating significant knowledge gaps. This study validated the Malay version of the Adolescent SRH Knowledge and Attitudes Questionnaire to address this need. The validation process included expert content review (6 panelists), face validity testing (30 respondents), and psychometric analysis among 100 adolescents in Sarawak. The questionnaire demonstrated excellent content validity as rated by the experts and strong face validity among adolescents. The knowledge domain showed high internal consistency (α = 0.935), while the attitude domain had moderate reliability (α = 0.682), with refinements improving item alignment. The validated questionnaire provides a culturally adapted tool for assessing SRH among Malaysian adolescents, supporting targeted interventions. Future studies should expand validation to diverse populations and the assess longitudinal stability