17362 research outputs found
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Comparative study of radiation-based reference evapotranspiration models for tropical urban region
No full textEstimation of reference evapotranspiration (Eto) using the FAO Penman– Monteith model become more popular in developing countries. However, it involves complete weather variables data. In order to provide an alternative solution, we evaluated twenty-one radiation-based Eto models against 20-years observed pan evaporation data from Subang meteorological station, Malaysia. To fill the missing data was based on Julian day-based mean imputation. Outlier was tested using Tukey’s detection method prior to estimating the Eto. The percentage of error (% error) in total values, % error in maximum values, % error in minimum values, % error in average values, root mean squared error (RMSE), and the paired t-test of the prediction accuracy were employed to evaluate the performance of the models. The results showed that the Cochrane-Orcutt 2014 model was performed better than the other radiation-based Eto models. The present study recommended the Cochrane-Orcutt 2014 model as the possible alternative Eto model for practical hydrological application according to the smallest difference of RMSE values as compared to the ETpan and due to the less number of required weather variables
Potentially toxic metals in cucumber Cucumis sativus collected from peninsular Malaysia: A human health risk assessment
No full textThe purposes of this study were to assess the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the cucumber Cucumis sativus from four farming areas of Peninsular Malaysia, to assess the HHRA of the five heavy metals in the collected samples. The cucumber was collected between May and December 2016 from Kg Ara Kuda (Penang), Kg. Sitiawan (Perak), Kuala Ketil (Kedah) and Jerantut (Pahang) of Peninsular Malaysia. For the edible fruity cucumber, the ranges of metal concentrations (mg/kg dry weight) from the four sites were 9.56-13.6 for Cu, 39.5-109 for Fe, 0.18-2.19 for Ni, 0.74-2.78 for Pb and 17.5-62.0 for Zn. All the target hazard quotient values for Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in adults and children were found below 1.00 for the health risk assessment. The present investigation found no evidence of non-carcinogenic hazards associated with the intake of cucumber in relation to Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. However, it is important to regularly evaluate the levels of heavy metals in vegetables cultivated in these soils and adopt appropriate remediation procedures to reduce harmful effects on human health
Multi-hop and mesh for LoRa networks: Recent advancements, issues, and recommended applications
No full textA comprehensive review is presented on the latest approaches to solutions focusing on multi-hop and mesh LoRa networks through the evaluation of simulations and real-world experiments, based on papers published between 2015 and 2023. The approaches are systematically classified into four (4) aspects: energy awareness, concurrent access and duty cycle regulations, routing protocols, and security. The first aspect encompasses parameter selection, distance, and clustering. The second aspect focuses on network segregation and time synchronization. The third aspect covers proactive, reactive, and hybrid routing protocols. The aspect of security includes privacy and Denial-of-Service (DoS). Findings show a consensus that multi-hop networks and adherence to radio duty cycle are able to lower average power consumption. Concurrent access method can improve network performance, but more research is needed due to different conclusions. Reactive protocols have a slight advantage over proactive protocols in terms of node deployment scalability and lower power consumption due to less frequent routing table updates. Hybrid protocols are only beneficial in specific topology deployments. Security is still a major concern for LoRa networks, particularly on attacks such as Man-In-The-Middle (MITM), spoofing, wormholes, flooding, packet replay, and information disclosure. The upcoming trend of implementing machine learning algorithms to multi-hop and mesh LoRa networks opens up a wide range of possibilities, ranging from airspace efficiency, efficient route selection, and improving data throughput. A detailed discussion of the aspects’ issues and recommended industry applications that will benefit from multi-hop and mesh LoRa networks are also provided
Holes can be perilous: A rare presentation of intestinal obstruction - Herniation through the broad ligament
No full textA 57-year-old lady presented with symptoms of intestinal obstruction preceded by a 2-day history of lower abdomen pain. Clinically, she had a distended abdomen with tenderness in her lower abdomen. Laboratory investigations were unremarkable. An abdominal radiograph showed a dilated small bowel with no extensive bowel gas. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed suspected intestinal obstruction secondary to herniation into the right broad ligament. The decision was made to proceed with surgery, and the intraoperative results confirmed the CT results. The literature review is outlined here, and this instance illustrates a surprising discovery
The antihyperglycemic activity of bruguiera gymnorrhiza roots extract in stz-induced diabetic mice
No full textMangrove plants are believed to possess a wide range of bioactive compounds due to their ability to thrive in harsh conditions enduring high salinity, low air humidity and high temperature. Bruguiera gymnorrhiza is one of the mangrove species that is commonly found in Sabah and its root has been discovered to have antidiabetic activity. However, previous investigations focused solely on ethanolic extract of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza root (BGR). Thus, this study aimed to assess antihyperglycemic activity of BGR methanolic extract in various fractions (aqueous, butanol, chloroform) using streptozocin-induced diabetic mice as an experimental model. The diabetic mice were administered different fractions of BGR extract at dose of 250 mg/kg with metformin (200 mg/kg) serves as standard drug. Blood glucose levels were measured on day 0th, 7th and 14th following the oral administration of BGR fractions in a fasting state mice. After 14 days treatment period, the results showed that the aqueous fraction of BGR extract significantly reduced the blood glucose levels in diabetic mice compared to other BGR fractions. The significant antihyperglycemic effect observed in aqueous fraction of BGR extract strongly indicates the presence of major potent antidiabetic components for decreasing the elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic mice
Anti-cancer effect of swietenia macrophylla leaves crude extract against colon cancer
No full textBioactive compounds derived from natural resources such as plants are believed to be more favourable in human cancer therapy due to their lower toxicity, biocompatibility, and potential to target cancer cells with fewer side effects compared to conventional synthetic drugs. Hence, this study aimed to extract compounds from the leaves of Swietenia macrophylla to evaluate their anticancer potential against colon cancer cell line, CT26. Mature leaves of S. macrophylla were collected and subjected to maceration using methanol and chloroform. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was performed on normal colon, CCD112 and colon cancer, CT26 cell lines using the crude extracts, with IC50 values determined. Methanol extraction records higher percentage yield with 20.2%, compared to chloroform with 3.6%. Interestingly, there is no statistically significant difference in the IC50 values between methanol and chloroform extracts for CT26 cell line, which are 0.48 ± 0.06 mg/mL and 0.43 ± 0.01 mg/mL, respectively. However, the methanolic extract exhibits approximately twice the potency (IC50= 0.16 ± 0.05 mg/mL) when compared to chloroform extract (IC50= 0.32 ± 0.10 mg/mL). The findings suggest that S. macrophylla leaves may contain bioactive compounds with potential antiproliferative effects on colon cancer cell, but also shows side effect (i.e. toxic) towards normal colon cell line. To fully harness the therapeutic potential of S. macrophylla leaves in combating colon cancer, future studies should focus on the identified issues, particularly by utilizing specific secondary metabolites from the crude extract
Sunsets, seafood and sea gypsies: A qualitative content analysis on the alternative destination image of Malaysian Borneo among Chinese outbound tourists
No full textThe purpose of this work is to explore the online destination image perceived by Chinese tourists visiting Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Employing Leiper’s tourism system as a guiding framework, the research utilized qualitative content analysis (QCA) to scrutinize a purposefully selected sample of thirty-seven Douyin contents, which is known outside China as TikTok. Findings indicate an alternative destination image, with Chinese tourists highlighting sunsets, seafood and sea gypsies as prominent attributes, deviating from the conventional association of sun, sea and sand. This distinctive perception contrasts with the perceptions held by Western tourists of Sabah. Informed by Leiper’s tourism system, this study emphasizes the importance for coastal destination marketing organizations to convey a destination image that extends beyond the conventional sun-sea-sand concept. Effective communication requires a nuanced understanding of unique destination images tailored to specific market segments based on their respective tourist generating regions. This approach aligns with Leiper’s emphasis on the interconnected relationships between the tourist generating region and the tourist destination region, providing insights for strategic destination marketing that cater to diverse tourist perspectives. The findings interpret user-generated content (UGC) within Leiper’s tourism system, consolidating the importance of projected online destination images
Reconceptualising language immersion pedagogy for rural education through teachers’ online learning community
No full textThe language immersion pedagogy posits that the more time devoted to studying a second/foreign language, the higher the proficiency attained. The nationwide Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) in Malaysia incorporates the guiding principles of the language immersion framework in its effort to enhance students’ English language proficiency. Schools operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Education are mandated to establish a language environment that is immersive, fostering language usage through a diverse range of extracurricular and classroom-based activities. Although several studies have examined HIP’s efficacy and the challenges associated with its execution in different settings, there is a lack of discourse regarding the programme’s theoretical foundations and its connection to practical applications. Particularly, there is a lacuna of empirical investigations on the programmes’s feasibility in rural and low-resource contexts. This paper aims to report preliminary findings from a pilot study in two rural primary schools in Sabah, Malaysia. Adopting a design-based research methodology within an online learning community, this study aims to redefine the concept of “immersive language environment.” For 16 weeks, participating teachers have undertaken school-based inquiries, collaborative lesson planning, and materials development. Data are derived from video recording of pupils’ learning activities, transcripts of teachers’ online discussions, digital artefacts, and interviews. Findings are presented through a case study method. Implication from the findings leads towards deeper investigation of teachers’ collaborative learning, Utilising learners’ native languages and cultural repertoires as resources for language immersion pedagogy seems to enhance teachers’ understanding of inclusivity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and interculturality
Hubungan literasi dan kemahiran guru pendidikan islam dengan penguasaan jawi murid sekolah rendah di negeri Sabah
No full textKajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti hubungan antara literasi dan kemahiran guru Pendidikan Islam dengan penguasaan Jawi murid sekolah rendah di negeri Sabah. Isu penguasaan Jawi dalam kalangan murid sekolah rendah masih rendah, seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam laporan j-QAF 2021, di mana 83,938 murid berada pada tahap penguasaan 3. Penyelidikan ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan mengumpul data melalui soal selidik yang diisi hanya oleh guru Pendidikan Islam di sekolah-sekolah terpilih di Sabah. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa literasi tidak mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan penguasaan Jawi murid, manakala kemahiran guru dalam pengajaran Jawi menunjukkan hubungan yang signifikan. Guru yang mempunyai kemahiran pengajaran Jawi yang baik cenderung meningkatkan penguasaan Jawi murid. Implikasi kajian ini menekankan kepentingan latihan dan pembangunan profesional untuk guru dalam bidang pengajaran Jawi bagi meningkatkan keberkesanan pengajaran dan pembelajaran Jawi di sekolah. Kajian ini juga mencadangkan agar sekolah dan pembuat dasar memberi perhatian khusus kepada strategi untuk meningkatkan kemahiran pengajaran guru bagi memastikan penguasaan Jawi murid yang lebih baik
Meneroka cabaran pendidikan literasi digital dalam mengekalkan pencapaian akademik dan pembangunan sahsiah pelajar
No full textSistem pendidikan telah membawa kepada celik digital sejak dua dekad yang lalu. Dalam landskap dinamik Pendidikan Literasi Digital (PLD), beberapa trend dibentuk semula untuk memberi tumpuan kepada Pembelajaran Sosial-Emosi (PSE) untuk memastikan pelajar bersedia untuk kejayaan peribadi dan profesional. Alat dan platform digital boleh menjadi sumber yang kuat untuk pembelajaran. Walau bagaimanapun, pelajar dan pendidik di Malaysia tidak mempunyai pengetahuan mengenai Teknologi Maklumat Dan Komunikasi (TMK) seperti yang dibuktikan melalui Model Penerimaan Teknologi (TAM), Teori Pembelajaran Connectivism (CLT) dan Teori Pembelajaran Sosial (SLT). Kaedah kualitatif digunakan sebagai pendekatan penyelidikan dan reka bentuk kajian. Data kajian dalam bentuk temu bual meneroka pandangan sembilan responden. Kajian juga disokong dengan data pemerhatian. Analisis tematik menjelaskan cabaran dalam mengekalkan pencapaian akademik dan pembangunan sahsiah pelajar di Kota Kinabalu dan Tawau, Sabah. Kajian ini membuktikan bahawa kewujudan dua kumpulan pelajar iaitu pertama pelajar yang serba boleh yang mendapat pengetahuan selama-lamanya (jangka panjang), dan kedua pelajar pintasan pengetahuan yang mendapat pengetahuan buat sementara waktu (jangka pendek). Kehadiran atau ketiadaan kemudahan dan sistem sokongan yang mencukupi secara langsung memberi kesan kepada hasil utama pencapaian akademik dan pembangunan personaliti dalam suasana PLD