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New Insight into Nucleotide Changes on Irradiated Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), A Pest of Horticultural Importance
Get PDFBactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a major quarantine pest species infesting most of the tropical fruits. Its infestation had significantly reduced and disrupted the export market trade, thus, very crucial to be controlled during the preharvest and postharvest. One of the most sustainable control methods is by using the radiation technique to reduce the pest population, thus curbing the spread of this pest to new geographical areas. The objective of this study was to measure the nucleotide changes in B. dorsalis (larval, pupal and adult stages) which had been irradiated with 50 to 400 Gray, using Gamma Cell Biobeam GM8000 irradiator with Cesium-137 source at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Selangor, Malaysia. Data from the treated samples (with and without morphological changes) were analysed using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). The alignment of 59 sequences resulted in 0.92% variables with only four characters that were parsimony informative, and six sites (30, 60, 234, 282, 483 and 589) which had nucleotide changes, but had not been translated to another protein. Low polymorphism was presented on the sample groups, with only four haplotypes, but with high diversity value (Hd) = 0.5885. The phylogeny trees formed soft polytomy in both trees [neighbour joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP)] presenting a mixture of individuals but did not show any significant difference between treatments. This finding concluded that low mutation had occurred on the treated B. dorsalis and this information is very valuable in getting new insight on the survival of B. dorsalis in the horticulture industry.
Characterisation of C-C Ligand 7 (CCL7) as Asthma Genetic Marker in Pigtailed Monkey
Get PDFThe pigtailed monkey (Macaca nemestrina) is one of the species that have potency like the cynomolgus monkey that is widely used as an animal model for asthma study. The CCL7 gene has potential as a genetic marker because of the secreted chemokine that plays a role in asthma. The aims of this research are to characterise the CCL7 gene of pigtailed monkey, compare the structure of their CCL7 gene with other primate species and determine model 3D structure protein prediction of CCL7 protein. The amplicons were sequenced, and the results were analysed by the bioinformatics technique. The 3D CCL7 protein structure was predicted using I-TASSER. We have isolated 2221 bp sequences CCL7 gene and 109 amino acids from pigtailed monkey. Variation of CCL7 gene sequence between pigtailed monkey and other primate species (Macaca fascicularis, M. mulatta and Homo sapiens) was found in exon 1, exon 2 and exon 3 as CDS (Coding DNA Sequence) region. The analysis homology of nucleotides and amino acid sequences of the CCL7 gene indicated that the pigtailed monkey and three other primate species have a high homology rate with an identity score above 90%. Meanwhile, a comparative analysis of CDS and amino acid regions showed that the pigtailed monkey also has the highest similarity with the three other primate species with more than 90% identity score. The 3D structure protein prediction model of the CCL7 pigtailed monkey revealed the highest similarity with H. sapiens with an identity value of about 95%. Therefore, the pigtailed monkey CCL7 gene has high similarity with H. sapiens, which means that based on molecular similarity, the pigtailed monkey has the potential to be an animal model for asthma study, especially the study of molecular and the role of CCL7 in asthma pathogenesis
Faktor-Faktor Kegagalan Penggunaan Buku Teks Yayasan Islam Kelantan (YIK) Dalam Proses Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran (PDP): Satu Analisis Kajian Kes
Get PDFBuku teks yang disediakan oleh kerajaan negeri Kelantan bertujuan untuk melahirkan murid berkualiti. Namun, guru di beberapa sekolah negeri ini lebih cenderung menggunakan nota ringkas dalam bahasa Melayu daripada buku teks bahasa Arab. Akibatnya, penguasaan bahasa Arab murid merosot. Kajian ini menganalisis faktor kegagalan guru menggunakan buku teks Yayasan Islam Kelantan (YIK) dalam proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran (PDP). Metodologi interpretif dengan pendekatan kajian kes digunakan. Data dikumpulkan melalui analisis dokumen dan temu bual separa berstruktur dengan guru dan pegawai YIK. Analisis kandungan dokumen menunjukkan lima faktor utama guru tidak menggunakan buku teks YIK: ketebalan buku, sukatan pelajaran berulang, amalan lama, persembahan buku tidak menarik, dan kandungan sukar difahami. Kajian lanjut diperlukan untuk menentukan langkah yang perlu diambil YIK bagi memastikan penggunaan buku teks sebagai medium utama PDP di sekolah-sekolah kerajaan negeri Kelantan
Laporan Kes: Merawat Wanita Kerasukan Di Sungai Buloh Menggunakan Kaedah Fizikal & Rohani
Get PDFKaedah rawatan kerasukan yang selalu dibuat adalah secara spiritual seperti jampi atau doa. Namun begitu, telah wujud kajian yang menggunakan kaedah fizikal seperti refleksologi untuk merawat kerasukan. Artikel ini melaporkan kes yang terjadi pada pertengahan 2022 mengenai seorang wanita lingkungan 20-an yang dirasuk. Perawat berdua (P-1 dan P-2) dipanggil untuk merawat wanita tersebut, sedikit latar belakangnya disiasat. Perawat menggunakan dua kaedah rawatan iaitu spiritual serta fizikal. Kaedah spiritual yang dipakai ialah azan dan ayat al-Kursi. Kaedah fizikal yang digunakan pula ialah refleksologi dalam bentuk pukulan, ketukan dan picitan. Akhir sekali, P-2 membaca surah al-Baqarah, manakala P-1 melakukan solat sunat sambil berdoa semasa sujud. Pesakit kelihatan sembuh sebaik saja P-1 memberikan salam akhir solat sunat, dan P-2 berhenti pada ayat ke-48 surah al-Baqarah. Setelah selesai, beberapa nasihat diberikan kepada wanita dan keluarganya. Laporan ini mengusulkan beberapa maklumat yang perlu diambil perihal pesakit yang kerasukan
Pendekatan Gamifikasi dalam Kalangan Pelajar Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) semasa Menjalani Amalan Profesional (Praktikum)
Get PDFPenggunaan unsur Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (TMK) dalam dunia pendidikan telah mewujudkan suatu pendekatan baharu yang dikenali sebagai pendekatan gamifikasi. Namun, penggunaan pendekatan ini dilihat masih kurang diterapkan oleh guru-guru di sekolah. Justeru, kajian berkaitan pendekatan gamifikasi telah dijalankan di peringkat Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) yang melibatkan pelajar opsyen Pendidikan Islam ambilan Jun 2020 semasa menjalani Amalan Profesional (Praktikum). Kajian ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk mengkaji tiga objektif yang telah digariskan iaitu mengenalpasti tahap pengetahuan pendekatan gamifikasi, tahap penggunaan pendekatan gamifikasi dan hubungan antara tahap pengetahuan pendekatan gamifikasi dengan tahap penggunaan pendekatan gamifikasi. Reka bentuk kajian ialah menggunakan penyelidikan tinjauan dengan penyelidikan kuantitatif. Instrumen yang digunakan ialah soal selidik yang disebarkan melalui Google Form kepada 100 orang pelajar IPG. Data yang diperoleh di analisis menggunakan Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) versi 26. Hasil analisis menunjukkan tahap pengetahuan pendekatan gamifikasi berada pada tahap yang tinggi (Min= 3.64 SP=0.35) dan tahap penggunaan pendekatan gamifikasi berada pada tahap yang rendah (Min= 1.77 SP=0.62). Sementara itu, terdapat hubungan yang negatif dan tidak signifikan antara tahap pengetahuan pendekatan gamifikasi dengan tahap penggunaan pendekatan gamifikasi. Jadi, kajian ini diharapkan dapat diluaskan supaya dapat melibatkan ramai responden dalam kalangan pelajar IPG pada masa akan datang.
The Malay Educational Service, 1920-1950
Get PDFThis study examines the pivotal role of the Malay Educational Service (MES) during a crucial period when the social mobility of the Malay peasantry hinged on Malay education and access to educational opportunities. The focus is on its inception in 1919, the emergence of MES officers empowered to lead the line, and the profound impact the MES had on the development of Malay education. To achieve these aims, supporting data are extracted from colonial records, curricula, Department of Education reports, and publications, including surviving evidence from the archives of Muhammad Yusof bin Ahmad, a senior officer of the MES. For a methodology, qualitative analysis is employed to discuss neglected areas in history, fill a gap in historical knowledge, and open the way to rethinking the colonial period. The broader finding of this study is the instrumental role of MES officers who leveraged the constructive nature of British educationalists. They navigated as agents of change and catalysts to advance the cause for Malay education and beyond.
Keywords: Malay Educational Service, Malay education, MES officers, agents of change
The Sungai Batu Conundrum: A Review of the 788 B.C.E Claim by Muhammad Bin Abd Razak in His Book “Kedah Tua Tamadun Terawal Asia Tenggara (Ancient Kedah the Earliest Civilisation in Southeast Asia)”
Get PDFThis paper aims to review the writings of author Muhammad bin Abd Razak (henceforth to be referred to as ‘the writer’) in his 2021 book “KEDAH TUA Tamadun Terawal Asia Tenggara (ANCIENT KEDAH the Earliest Civilisation in Southeast Asia),” specifically on the date used to claim that the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex (SBAC) had been dated to 788 B.C.E based on a charcoal sample from Spit 7 of Site SB2H dated using the Accelerator Mass Spectometry (AMS) method and, the attempt to link between the use of Camphor in the embalming of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt to justify the existence of an 8th Century B.C.E civilisation at SBAC. The purpose of this paper is to study the veracity of the claims made by the writer. This paper will discuss extracts from recent papers that were published that are related to the SBAC as well as the embalming process of mummies of Ancient Egypt’s pharaohs, with the intention to prove that the SBAC was established at the turn of the Common Era rather than 800 years prior. Therefore, the scope of this paper will be limited to explaining what was Ancient Kedah, what religion(s) did the people of Ancient Kedah practice, how accurate or true is the 788 B.C.E claim, as well as the attempt to link the use of Camphor in the embalming process of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt with the SBAC. The findings will show that the SBAC is not as old as claimed, and that there is no connection between Ancient Kedah and Ancient Egypt.
Keywords: Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex, Bujang Valley, Ancient Kedah, Iron Industr
Relationship Between Leadership Ostracism and Employee Engagement: A Moderated Mediation Model
Get PDFThis study investigated the effect of leadership ostracism on employee engagement through defensive silence as a mediating variable, using the conservation of resources theory framework and the need-threat/need fortification model. The study also examined the role of external social support, which has the potential to moderate the indirect effect of leadership ostracism on employee engagement. Data were collected from civil servants in Indonesia using self-report questionnaires. Using the snowball sampling technique, an online survey was conducted to collect data. Of 504 accepted responses, 310 met all the criteria and were analysed using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and a moderated mediation model. The moderated mediation analysis showed that low perceived external social support indirectly strengthens the negative influence of leadership ostracism on employee engagement through defensive silence. This research enriches the ostracism literature, especially regarding leadership ostracism and its relationship with employee engagement, which has not been empirically tested in previous studies
Oil Prices and Economic Growth in China: A Time-Frequency Analysis
Get PDFThis study analyses the inherent evolution dynamics of economic activity and global oil prices in China using the tools of wavelet and wavelet-based VAR-GARCH-BEKK model. Besides, the Wavelet-Granger causality test of Olayeni (2016) provides us further insights into the magnitude and direction of causal connectedness between oil prices and economic activity in China over time and across different frequencies simultaneously. We find that the spillover effects between China’s economic activity and global oil prices are time-varying in different time and frequencies in terms of direction and strength. More accurately, the prices and volatility spillovers between them are significant in the short and medium run but eventually neutral toward the long run. The Wavelet-Granger causality provides us further insights into the lead-lag relationships between oil prices and China’s economic activity from an economic perspective. The dynamic time-frequency association findings suggest crucial implications that might assist policymakers and other market participants in mitigating risk
Building a Value-Based Workforce Through Islamic Work Value-Based Recruitment: A Conceptual Review
Get PDFThe increasing ethical infringements, moral violations, and disciplinary problems among employees point to the deteriorations in employee values. Hiring employees merely on common competency-based recruitment (CBR) versus value-based recruitment (VBR) ignores the critical role of values in guiding employee behaviours, thus contributing further to the problems. This study involves a qualitative approach using NVivo text analysis tool to analyse texts and word frequency from 44 references, including 35 journal articles, six policy papers, two books or book chapters and one conference proceedings. The results show that Public Sector ICT Management Review was the top journal with the highest coverage of the study’s main themes, followed by the Journal of Education for Teaching, the Human Resource Management Review, and the Advances in Health Science Education indicating the importance of the value-based workforce in these four areas of employment (i.e., public sector, education, human resource, and health). The word frequency analysis also shows the five most-used words were “values,” “work,” “based,” “selection,” and “recruitment.” These findings show that the references used in this study are valid and reliable relevant to the study’s main themes. Value-based workforce relates to value-based recruitment – building a value-based workforce begins with a good recruitment strategy. In the Islamic context, Islamic work values are highly influential and Islamic work-related values have been used as recruitment conditions for hiring employees during the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) time and the rightly guided caliphs. If incorporated into the value- based model of recruitment, Islamic-related work values could potentially build a value- based workforce. This study has a significant implication to managers especially in finding good employees for the success of the organisation. Recruiting employees through value-based recruitment and selection is believed could reduce many work-related issues and improve organisational effectiveness. This study adds to the body of knowledge on value- based hiring by incorporating theories and Islamic work ideals, which can be used as a guide for future research