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Embracing positivity in dementia caregiving : Links between behavioral symptoms and caregiver well‐being in Malaysia
No full textAim: This study investigates the relationships among behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs), positive aspects of caregiving (PACs), and the psychological well‐being of caregivers for individuals with dementia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A total of 178 dementia caregivers were recruited through convenience sampling from a teaching hospital and a private dementia care center. The study utilized three standardized instruments: the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire(NPI‐Q) to assess BPSDs as perceived by caregivers, the PAC Scale to measure caregivers' positive perceptions and sense of purpose, and the Scale of Psychological Well‐Being (SPWB).Results: Results indicated that nearly all patients with dementia (PWDs) exhibited at least one type of BPSD, with apathy/indifference being the most prevalent (82.0%),followed by nighttime behavioral disturbances and appetite/eating disturbances(66.3%). The findings revealed that 51.1% of caregivers scored high on PACs, suggesting a substantial sense of purpose in caregiving. In terms of psychological well‐being, 65.2% of caregivers reported high scores, indicating a positive state of mental health. Furthermore, caregiver age showed a significant negative correlation with PAC scores (r = −0.186, p = 0.013), while the number of dependents was positively correlated with PAC scores (r = 0.187, p = 0.012). Additionally, caregiver race was significantly associated with PAC scores. Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of fostering positive caregiving experiences to enhance caregiver well‐being amidst the challenges posed by BPSDs in dementia care
First dietary study of the critically endangered black morph Bornean banded langur (Presbytis chrysomelas chrysomelas) using DNA metabarcoding
No full textThe black morph Bornean banded langur (Presbytis chrysomelas chrysomelas) is a critically endangered primate endemic to Sarawak, Borneo. Detailed knowledge of its diet is essential for guiding effective conservation strategies. This study employed DNA metabarcoding, targeting the chloroplast trnL region to characterise the dietary composition of P. c. chrysomelas. Faecal DNA from three individuals was extracted, amplified and sequenced using next-generation sequencing. Results identified 28 unique amplicon sequence variants corresponding to nine plant species spanning nine genera and eight families. The most abundant plant families were Euphorbiaceae and Achariaceae, with Elateriospermum and Hydnocarpus as dominant genera. At the species level, Elateriospermum tapos and Hydnocarpus anthelminthicus were the primary food sources. This study represents the first DNA metabarcoding-based dietary analysis of P. c. chrysomelas, providing valuable insights into its feeding ecology. These
findings will support targeted conservation efforts, particularly within Tanjung Datu
National Park, Sarawak
The current state of forensic imaging – perspectives
Get PDFThis fourth part of the review of the current state of forensic imaging describes the future potential in uence of arti cial intelligence in forensic imaging. In addition to this important point, training in forensic imaging is discussed in detail, as are the documentation possibilities o ered by non-conventional imaging tools such as photography, photogrammetry, 3D surface scanning and 3D print casts
Rapid Green Synthesis of Ag-TiO2 Nanocomposites via Microwave Irradiation for Water Treatment : Dual Action on Dyes and Bacteria
Get PDFThe widespread use of hazardous chemicals in traditional methods for synthesizing silver-doped titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO2) nanocomposites poses significant environmental and health concerns, contradicting the goal of sustainable photocatalytic water purification. This study
aims to develop a microwave-assisted green synthesis method using plant waste-based material, Allium cepa (onion) peel extract, a readilyavailable material, to deposit silver onto TiO2 with the goal of enhancing its photocatalytic and antibacterial properties. The prepared Ag-TiO2
nanocomposite was applied to remove single and mixed dyes. Characterization techniques confirmed the formation of stable Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite with an average size of 7.36 ± 2.01 nm evenly deposited onto TiO2, resulting in improved responsiveness in the visible light region. UVVis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence analysis indicated a reduction in the band gap for Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite.
The green-synthesized Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite exhibits exceptional photocatalytic efficiency in degrading both cationic dyes and anionic Congo red and methylene blue dyes with a degradation rate of 99.4% and 99.6% individually under UV irradiation. In a mixed dyesolution, the degradation of rhodamine B and methyl orange dyes was significantly accelerated due to the selective interaction of the AgTiO2 nanocomposite with anionic dyes. The green synthesized Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite also showed effective antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria, E. coli and Gram-negative bacteria, S. aureus. This study stresses the capability of green synthesis to generate environmentally benign and high-performing photocatalysts for water treatment applications, effectively degrading contaminants and eradicating undesirable waterborne pathogens
Simulation Investigation On Heat Transfer Characteristics Of Palm-Based Oil As Biodegradable Dielectric For Power Transformer Oil Application Using Quickfield Software
No full textMineral oil was utilized as an insulating medium in transformers, which play a significant part in power transmission systems. Mineral oil has been used in the electrical power system for decades. However, due to the nonbiodegradable and high flammability features of mineral oils, their usage in electrical power systems can cause environmental difficulties when incidents such as oil spills or transformer explosions occur. To address this issue, alternative insulating oils with biodegradable qualities and good electric and chemical properties have been investigated as viable materials that can replace commercial oil. This research work examines the heat transfer properties of palm-based ester oil as an insulating material using QuickField software, which employs the finite difference approach. The transformer's 2D simulation model geometry was performed to show its heat transfer characteristics. Numerous heat transfer properties of palm-based ester were investigated to evaluate the heat transfer performance of palm oil-based ester and compared with mineral oils and other vegetative oils. It was found that palm-based oil shows the lowest temperature and heat flux among the other insulation oils
EMOTIONAL FURNITURE DESIGN FOR THE ELDERLY: HOW TO MAKE DESIGN CONNECT TO END-USERS
Get PDFAs the problem of an aging society becomes increasingly serious, the emotional needs and quality of life of the elderly are receiving more and more attention. Furniture is
not only closely related to people's daily lives, but also shows the emotional pursuits and personality characteristics of users during use. Therefore, in order to narrow the distance between elderly furniture and users, it is necessary to use the concept of emotional design, and then design furniture products with spiritual care and emotional satisfaction characteristics according to the physiological and psychological characteristics of the elderly and their emotional needs. This paper aims to explore how to improve the comfort and emotional resonance of furniture used by the elderly through emotional design methods. Through empathetic design and metaphorical techniques, we designed furniture that can arouse emotional resonance and psychological memory to meet the social and emotional needs of the elderly in
environments such as reading rooms. The ultimate goal is to design furniture that is both practical and that can give emotional support and spiritual satisfaction to the elderly, so that they can feel the care and respect of society in their later years
Komuniti Melayu di Telok Melano dan Temajuk: Dinamika Adat, Budaya dan Bahasa dalam Lanskap Sempadan Negara Bangsa di Borneo Barat
No full textPembentukan negara bangsa pascakolonial seperti Malaysia dan Indonesia telah menghasilkan garis sempadan politik yang membahagikan kelompok etnolinguistik yang sebelumnya bernaung di bawah ruang budaya yang sama. Komuniti Melayu di Telok Melano (Sarawak) dan Temajuk (Kalimantan Barat) merupakan contoh signifikan bagaimana sempadan negara tidak semestinya membawa kepada pemisahan budaya atau sosial yang mutlak. Kajian ini meneliti dinamika hubungan antara kedua-dua komuniti serumpun tersebut dengan memberi tumpuan kepada peranan adat, budaya dan bahasa sebagai mekanisme penyatu yang merentas sempadan geopolitik. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif menerusi kaedah pemerhatian lapangan dan temu bual separa berstruktur, penelitian ini mendedahkan wujudnya jaringan sosial, amalan budaya dan pertuturan yang berterusan dan aktif di antara komuniti di kedua-dua sisi sempadan. Dapatan ini menunjukkan bahawa sempadan negara bersifat relatif apabila ditentang oleh kekuatan solidariti budaya dan sejarah yang mendalam. Selain mencabar pemahaman konvensional tentang pemisahan negara bangsa, kajian ini juga mengetengahkan implikasi sosial hubungan ini terhadap pemeliharaan identiti komuniti, kelestarian warisan budaya, serta pembentukan ruang sosial rentas sempadan yang inklusif dan dinamik. Secara keseluruhan, penelitian ini menyumbang kepada wacana kritikal berkaitan identiti serantau, kesinambungan budaya, dan dasar pembangunan wilayah sempadan, serta menegaskan keperluan untuk melihat sempadan bukan hanya sebagai instrumen kawalan politik, tetapi juga sebagai ruang pertemuan dan kesinambungan kehidupan bersama
Enhanced CO2 capture using KOH‑functionalized oil palm ash adsorbent : experimental and applied machine learning approach
No full textThis work aimed to develop a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable adsorbent for CO2 capture using
biomass waste, specifically oil palm ash (OPA), which is abundantly available as agricultural waste in Malaysia. Pristine OPA was first subjected to acid washing, followed by carbonization and chemical activation with KOH to enhance
its physicochemical properties. Since machine learning (ML) can provide new insights into the design of adsorption
processes and the understanding of CO2 adsorption mechanism, this paper presents a detailed comparative analysis
of experimental and ML approaches. In this study, the surface and pore characteristics of OPA-KOH(1:2) were significantly enhanced through carbonization and KOH-functionalization, achieving an optimized mesoporous structure (average pore size: 72.71 Å), with a surface area of 30.95 m2 /g. Despite having a moderate surface area, the tailored pore structure promoted efficient CO2 diffusion, thus enabling high CO2 adsorption capacity of 2.9 mmol/g, which was comparable or exceeds that some Acs with higher surface areas. Systematic analyses of adsorption isotherms,
kinetics, and thermodynamics have confirmed that the CO2 adsorption onto OPA-KOH(1:2) occurred exothermically
and was predominantly driven by a physisorption mechanism, supported by a weak chemisorption mechanism. MLbased models employed in this study have demonstrated that the bilayered neural network (NN) model could accurately predict CO2 adsorption onto OPA-KOH(1:2), with exceptionally high accuracy of R2>0.99. These findings have provided valuable insights into the capture, conversion, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology, while highlighting OPA-KOH(1:2) as an affordable and environmentally friendly adsorbent for effective CO2 capture
Translation and psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Mathematical Resilience Scale
No full textThe translation of the Mathematics Resilience Scale (MRS) into Chinese provides an essential tool for educational research within Chinese cultural contexts, and this study supports educators in identifying emotional and cognitive barriers that students encounter in mathematics learning, thereby enabling targeted interventions. This study focuses on translating the MRS into Chinese and evaluating its reliability and validity within the Chinese context. The translation adhered to Beaton et al.'s (2000) guidelines, with validity and reliability assessed through item analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis, item response theory, and differential item functioning. The Cronbach's α value for the MRS was .969, indicating strong performance, while item factor loadings ranged from .514 to .859, and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was .968. The Chinese version of the MRS has been accurately and thoroughly translated, demonstrating robust psychometric properties. This study provides a quantitative instrument for addressing resilience-related issues in mathematics education, offering valuable data to inform interventions for policymakers and educators. The study significantly contributes to ensuring the cross- cultural applicability and validity of the MRS, offering a reliable tool for international research on mathematical resilience