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Comparative Study of Yi Lacquerware Characteristics in Two Regions and Its Application in Modern Art Design
No full textThis study explores the artistic characteristics of Yi lacquerware, a significant expression of Yi cultural heritage. It focuses on molding techniques, decorative patterns, and color schemes that reflect the creativity and cultural identity of the Yi people. The research compares lacquerware from two important regions: Liangshan Prefecture in Sichuan Province and Dafang County in Guizhou Province. It identifies both the distinct differences and shared features in their artistic styles. These variations are influenced by geographical conditions, ethnic identity, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and the growth of local lacquer industries. The study emphasizes how these elements contribute to the development and transformation of regional artistic styles. It also discusses current challenges, such as maintaining a balance between preserving tradition and encouraging innovation. In addition, it investigates strategies for incorporating Yi lacquerware into contemporary art and design. Using a combination of literature review, field research, interviews, comparative analysis, and case studies, the study offers a comprehensive understanding of the artistic and cultural significance of Yi lacquerware. The findings support the long-term development of traditional crafts and provide valuable insights for applying Yi lacquerware in modern design contexts
Design and Evaluation of Vanillin Derivatives as Dual Inhibitors of Neuraminidase of Streptococcus pneumoniae and FtsZ of Staphylococcus aureus
No full textMajority pneumonia cases were caused by two types of bacterial strains: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Despite the fact that vaccines and antibiotics were available, the problem continue to arise due to the increasing emergence of strains that exhibit significant resistance to the available drugs. Based on reported research, neuraminidase of S. pneumoniae and FtsZ of S. aureus played imperative role in facilitating the pneumococcal infection. Schiff base vanillin derivatives were reported to exhibit wide range of biological activity, including antibacterial activity against various bacterial strains. As a whole, this research study focuses on the study of Schiff base vanillin derivatives targeting neuraminidase of S. pneumoniae and FtsZ of S. aureus by performing computational methods and antibacterial assay. A total of 21 vanillin derivatives were evaluated. Based on the results of the study as potential S. pneumoniae neuraminidase inhibitors, all 21 vanillin derivatives were able to show pharmacophore fit values and matching features more than half of the training sets. The fit values ranged from 64.25 to 81.50, together with 6 to 8 matching features in ligand-based pharmacophore modelling. In structure-based pharmacophore modelling and molecular docking, 15 out of 21 derivatives were successfully aligned with the 4 out of 6 key active site residues of oseltamivir carboxylate ligand of 2YA8, including ARG332, ARG648, ARG706 and ASP357. Simultaneously, the derivatives were able to show binding affinity values lower than –6.00 kcal/mol, indicating strong docking interaction to the protein pocket of 2YA8. For analysis as potential inhibitors of S. aureus FtsZ, the 21 derivatives showed pharmacophore fit values ranging from 66.45 to 104.06, depicting 6 to 10 out of 17 pharmacophore features. Only 17 out of 21 showed fit values more than half of the training sets. In structure-based pharmacophore modelling and molecular docking, 19 out of 21 derivatives were able to matched with 4 to 6 out of 6 key active site residues of the PC190723 ligand of 3VOB, including VAL297, VAL203, THR309, LEU200, LEU209 and ASN263. Similarly, the derivatives possessed strong binding affinity values less than –6.00 kcal/mol in the protein pocket of 3VOB, suggesting strong interaction to the active site. In combination of the all results, 10 out of 21 vanillin derivatives showed satisfactory results as potential inhibitors of both S. pneumoniae and S. aureus, which were compounds (5), (8), (9), (10), (12), (15), (16), (17), (19) and (21). By fulfilling all rules in Lipinski’s Rule of 5, this provided further support to their role as orally active drugs. A total of 6 out of 10 vanillin derivatives were successfully synthesized and characterized by Fourier-Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR). On top of that, the derivatives also depicted significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria by agar diffusion antibacterial assay. Average diameter of inhibition zone ranging from 9.78 mm to 20.40 mm were shown in comparison with the controls. Schiff base vanillin derivatives were concluded to possess potential dual inhibitory activity against both neuraminidase of S. pneumoniae and FtsZ of S. aureus via in silico. With support from their druglikeness in Lipinski’s Rule of 5, and their agar diffusion antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, the derivatives serve as promising drug candidates for futuristic development via in vivo or in vitro
The Creativity Strategy on Enhancing the Cultural Brand for Xinyang City, China
No full textThe research scope of this study is the City Cultural Brand of Xinyang City, China. In the global context of rapid urbanization, an increasing number of cities have recognized the pivotal role of cultural brands in distinguishing themselves and cultivating unique identities, and have begun to prioritize the development of city cultural brands, thereby enhancing city culture and expanding the international influence of these brands. As the capital of Mao Jian, a medium-sized city in central China, Xinyang is also the only city in China to be listed as one of the top ten liveable cities in China for ten consecutive years. However, the urban cultural brand of Xinyang City lacks the necessary popularity and recognition. This hinders the city from attracting tourists, investors, and facilitating cooperation that is beneficial to its economy and culture. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive innovation strategy to address the issue of the insufficient development of Xinyang City's cultural brand. This study adopts a combined qualitative and quantitative research method. Through literature collection, field investigation, observation interviews, and questionnaire design, 481 residents who have lived in Xinyang for many years will be surveyed. More than half of the respondents are those who have lived in Xinyang for over ten years. They come from various industries, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of Xinyang's city cultural brand. The study found that Xinyang has rich and diverse cultural resources. One of the most representative is tea culture. The tea-related bases and natural attractions in Xinyang (Ji Gong Mountain and Nan Wan Lake) are the most favorable. There are no particularly famous and distinctive cultural tourism products except for tea. Most people are not familiar with cultural activities except for the Tea Culture Festival, the South Bay Lake Fishing Festival, and the food festival. So, the cultural brand of Xinyang city can be positioned as the landscape tea capital, livable Xinyang. However, Xinyang City’s cultural brand is relatively unknown at home and abroad, and cultural facilities, cultural activities and cultural tourism products are scarce and lacking in creativity. By studying the cultural brand construction experience of advanced cities at home and abroad, and combining the actual situation of Xinyang city cultural brand and questionnaire survey results, Finally, the theory of integrated marketing communication is applied from the aspects of Brand communication body, content of communication, channels of communication and mode of communication propagation and communicating effect are used to establish a creative strategic framework for promoting Xinyang’s city cultural brand, to provide useful reference and guidance for the construction of city cultural brand in Xinyang and other cities at home and abroad
The Role of Green Marketing Strategies and Artificial Intelligence in Influencing Green Purchase Intentions in Malaysia
No full textEnvironmental degradation and the overconsumption of resources have intensified the urgency to adopt sustainable consumption patterns. In Malaysia, despite rising awareness, the actual adoption of eco-friendly products remains limited due to inconsistent consumer intentions and lack of targeted marketing. This study investigates the influence of green marketing strategies, specifically green innovation, green creativity, and green media on consumers’ purchase intentions, while examining the moderating role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the persuasive power of these strategies. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study adopts a quantitative approach using SmartPLS-SEM to analyse data from 312 individual consumers across seven major Malaysian states. The findings reveal that all three green marketing strategies significantly influence purchase intentions, with AI positively moderating these relationships. These results not only validate the theoretical integration of TPB and ELM but also offer practical guidance for technopreneurs and marketers in designing AI-driven green marketing strategies that resonate with environmentally conscious consumers. This research supports Malaysia’s national sustainability agenda by promoting behavioral change through strategic green communication.
Keywords: Technopreneurship, Green Marketing Strategies, Sustainability, Purchase Intention, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Hubungan Konflik Kerja Keluarga, Sokongan Sosial dan Kesihatan Mental di Badan Berkanun Malaysia: Keperluan Perkhidmatan Kaunseling Sebagai Moderator
No full textWanita profesional masa kini berhadapan dengan cabaran besar dalam mengimbangi
tuntutan kerjaya dan kehidupan keluarga, terutamanya dalam persekitaran kerja yang
semakin kompetitif. Konflik kerja-keluarga yang dialami boleh menjejaskan kesejahteraan
mental, apatah lagi jika tidak disokong dengan sistem sosial dan psikologi yang kukuh.
Walaupun pelbagai kajian telah dijalankan, terdapat jurang pengetahuan mengenai
bagaimana keperluan terhadap perkhidmatan kaunseling dapat mempengaruhi hubungan
antara konflik kerja-keluarga, sokongan sosial, dan kesihatan mental dalam konteks wanita
profesional di Malaysia. Justeru, kajian ini dijalankan untuk meneliti secara mendalam
faktor-faktor yang menyumbang kepada kesejahteraan mental wanita profesional, khususnya
dalam persekitaran badan berkanun. Tujuan utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji
hubungan antara konflik kerja-keluarga, sokongan sosial dan kesihatan mental, serta
mengkaji peranan keperluan perkhidmatan kaunseling sebagai pembolehubah moderator.
Kajian ini bertujuan menjawab persoalan sejauh mana konflik kerja dan konflik keluarga
memberi kesan kepada kesihatan mental, serta sama ada sokongan sosial dan keperluan
kaunseling dapat mempengaruhi hubungan tersebut. Beberapa hipotesis telah dikemukakan,
termasuklah jangkaan bahawa konflik kerja dan keluarga memberi kesan negatif terhadap
kesihatan mental, manakala sokongan sosial dan perkhidmatan kaunseling memainkan
peranan sebagai faktor pelindung. Seramai 362 wanita profesional yang berkhidmat di badan
berkanun Malaysia telah dipilih melalui kaedah persampelan bukan rawak bertujuan. Data
dianalisis menggunakan pendekatan disjoint two-stage dengan bantuan perisian SmartPLS.
Kajian mengukur subdimensi konflik kerja dan keluarga serta tiga sumber sokongan sosial
(keluarga, rakan-rakan, dan individu signifikan) terhadap kesihatan mental. Keperluan
perkhidmatan kaunseling diuji sebagai pembolehubah moderator. Dapatan kajian
v
menunjukkan bahawa konflik kerja-keluarga memberi kesan negatif yang signifikan
terhadap kesihatan mental. Sokongan sosial daripada keluarga dan keperluan terhadap
perkhidmatan kaunseling didapati mempunyai hubungan positif dengan kesejahteraan
mental. Selain itu, perkhidmatan kaunseling memainkan peranan penting dalam memoderasi
hubungan antara konflik keluarga dan kesihatan mental serta memperkukuh pengaruh
sokongan sosial terhadap kesejahteraan. Kajian ini mencadangkan agar pihak pengurusan,
terutamanya dalam badan berkanun, memberi perhatian serius terhadap keperluan
psikososial wanita profesional dengan menyediakan akses yang lebih mudah kepada
perkhidmatan kaunseling. Implikasi kajian ini merangkumi sumbangan terhadap
pembangunan dasar kerja yang lebih mesra keluarga, serta menjadi asas bagi kajian lanjutan
berhubung pendekatan intervensi psikologi yang efektif dalam menangani isu tekanan kerja-
keluarga secara lebih menyeluruh
Development and validation of the arabic version of the social-ecological model questionnaire for patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis
No full textBackground
Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in Arabic-speaking regions, particularly in Palestine, face unique sociopolitical and cultural barriers affecting
their care and quality of life. Existing assessment tools rarely address the multi-level determinants of support within these populations, highlighting the need for a culturally validated instrument based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM).
Objective
To develop and validate an Arabic-language questionnaire grounded in the SEM to assess the multi-level (community, interpersonal, organizational, and policy) support
factors influencing MHD patients in the Gaza Strip.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2024 to February 2025 at three governmental dialysis centers in Gaza, enrolling 101 Arabic-speaking adult MHD patients through systematic random sampling. The validation process encompassed item analysis, content and face validity, and psychometric testing, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), assessment of convergent and discriminant validity
which includes average variance extracted, factor loadings, composite reliability, Cronbach’s alpha, Fornell-Larcker criterion, cross-loadings, and Heterotrait-Monotrait
ratio.
Results
The EFA identified a four-factor structure corresponding to Community, Interpersonal, Organizational, and Policy Support, explaining 65.15% of the variance. The final validated questionnaire comprised 31 items, with the Community Support domain
demonstrating the strongest psychometric properties (factor loadings: 0.821–0.923;
Cronbach’s alpha=0.972; AVE=0.796). While Interpersonal and Organizational
domains showed acceptable reliability and validity, the Policy Support domain displayed marginal construct validity. Overall, the instrument had strong content, face,
convergent, and discriminant validity.
Conclusion
The Arabic SEM-based questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing multilevel support factors among MHD patients in Arabic-speaking contexts. It enables
comprehensive evaluation for research and clinical practice. Future research should confirm its structure using confirmatory factor analysis, extend validation to diverse
Arab populations, and examine temporal stability
SIKAP DAN PENGETAHUAN GURU BAHASA MELAYU DALAM AMALAN PENTAKSIRAN UNTUK PEMBELAJARAN DI SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN CINA (SJKC) ZON SELATAN SARAWAK.
No full textAmalan Pentaksiran untuk Pembelajaran (PuP) ialah pendekatan formatif yang penting untuk mengintegrasikan penilaian bagi meningkatkan kualiti pengajaran dan prestasi murid. Namun, ketidakselarasan dapatan dalam amalan PuP telah mewujudkan isu kritikal dalam pelaksanaan Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah (PBD). Sehubungan itu, kajian kualitatif ini bertujuan untuk meneroka sikap dan pengetahuan guru Bahasa Melayu terhadap amalan PuP di Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Zon Selatan Sarawak. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk pelbagai kes (multiple case study). Seramai enam (6) orang guru Bahasa Melayu tahap dua dari enam SJKC berbeza terlibat sebagai peserta, dipilih melalui gabungan teknik persampelan bertujuan dan bola salji. Instrumen kajian terdiri daripada temu bual separa struktur, senarai semak bahan audiovisual dan analisis dokumen. Data dianalisis secara tematik. Dapatan kajian mengesahkan bahawa penerimaan sikap positif dan pengetahuan asas yang kukuh tentang PuP wujud dalam kalangan guru. Namun, kedua-dua ciri guru ini tidak selari kerana guru berhadapan dengan cabaran beban tugas dan tekanan prestasi, yang akhirnya menyebabkan kemerosotan sikap positif. Kajian ini membawa implikasi amalan mengenai keperluan sokongan yang disesuaikan dengan konteks SJKC. Justeru, disarankan agar sokongan yang berterusan dan berfokus daripada Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) dan pihak pengurusan sekolah perlu diperkukuhkan agar PuP dapat dilaksanakan secara berkesan dan berkualiti Kajian lanjutan juga disarankan menggunakan pendekatan kaedah campuran dan melibatkan perspektif murid
Traditional Handicrafts and Cultural Identity: The Case of Orang Ulu in Miri, Sarawak
No full textThis study investigates the role of traditional handicraft economic activities in sustaining the cultural identity of the Orang Ulu community in Miri, Sarawak. While extensive research has examined Sarawak’s Iban and Malay crafts, Orang Ulu handicrafts remain underexplored, particularly within urban contexts where traditional practices are recontextualized for new markets. Addressing this gap, the study adopts a qualitative design framed by Cultural Capital
Theory (Bourdieu, 1986) and Cultural Economics (Throsby, 2001) under an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, non-participant
observations, and field visits with ten purposively selected artisans and traders. Findings reveal that handicrafts such as Sabu bead necklaces, Tebilang sashes, Ta’ah attire, and the Sape’ lute operate as visual languages of clan histories and spiritual values, while simultaneously serving as economic goods within markets, exhibitions, and cultural tourism. However, artisans face structural challenges including scarcity of raw materials, rising costs, market imitations, and limited digital marketing skills. The study contributes to cultural economics and heritage studies by situating Orang Ulu handicrafts as both cultural capital and
creative economy resources. It concludes that sustaining these traditions requires systemic interventions in ecological conservation, intellectual property rights, digital literacy, and cultural education. By highlighting the intersection of heritage and economy in an urban
Malaysian context, this research extends debates on indigenous resilience and the negotiation of authenticity in global craft markets
Sexual Dysfunction: What Do Sarawak English Newspapers Say?
No full textSexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction and low sex drive represent taboo topics among men and women alike. Because of the taboo attached to the topic, there is lack of research about people’s perceptions and experiences. Little is understood about how the media represents sexual
dysfunction and shape the views of the public. The study examined representation of sexual dysfunction in two Sarawak English dailies, The Borneo Post and New Sarawak Tribune. The objectives of the study are to: (1) identify the euphemisms used for sexual dysfunction, and (2) describe the types of information presented in the newspaper articles. A search of the online newspaper archives was made using the search terms “sexual dysfunction” and “erectile
dysfunction”. Altogether 16 articles were found from 2010-2025 but only 12 were relevant after filtering. The analysis revealed that scientific words were used as a cover up (e.g., premature ejaculation, male sex hormones) and some of the euphemisms refer to medical conditions, sexual
performance, and the struggle to perform in the bedroom. Results on the themes in the newspaper articles showed the overwhelming focus on men rather than women. The articles sometimes gave definitions and descriptions of signs and symptoms that present for sexual dysfunction. Most
articles address causes and consequences, screening, treatment, incidence statistics, and lack of public awareness. For credibility, the newspaper articles cited medical personnel more than government officers. The study shows that sexual dysfunction needs to be broached in the open so that the stigma may lessen over time, thereby allowing affected individuals to feel free to seek
medical attention and have better sexual health and relationships
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF MALAYSIA COUNSELLOR PERFORMANCE INDICATOR (M-CPI): THE COUNSELLOR VERSION
No full textThis study was conducted to research the appropriate components to measure the performance of counsellors in
Malaysia. This instrument is built in the form of self-rating. It makes it easier for counsellors to evaluate their own performance and ability over time. This is important to ensure that counsellors can carry out their duties well in looking after and helping the client's welfare, maintaining the quality and professionalism of the career as well as the individual counsellor himself. The study is oe of the rare ones found in Malaysia. In this study, a mixed method was used, namely (i) qualitative and (ii) quantitative approach. Data was obtained from 216 registered counsellors under the
Malaysia Board of Counsellor using a stratified random sampling technique. The findings obtained by using Rasch
Analysis, shows that this developed indicator has a high reliability value which is (.84) for person reliability and (.85) for item reliability. To know more closely, the components involved in this M-CPI consists of nine (9) constructs which are knowledge (theoretical and knowledge transfer), skills (case management, practical skills and academic /professional writing), interpersonal relationship & interaction, cultural & religiosity, professional roles and expertise, ethics and legality, attitudes and personality, referral (supervision), and articulate philosophy of profession. The findings from the scree plot also show that nine (9) constructs are suitable to be developed for M-CPI, also supported by the significant KMO value. (.000). Therefore, this proves that the components of the M-CPI are suitable and can be used to measure the performance of counsellors in Malaysia