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Anti-biofilm mechanism of Malaysian natural clay against food-borne Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium
Get PDFNatural clay is useful for cleaning the environment due to its antibacterial properties. Malaysian natural clay of Kuala Gula was investigated for its anti-biofilm activity against single biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium. Clay suspension (50.0 %) reduced S. aureus biofilms by 4.4 log at 24 h, respectively, while it reduced (25.0 and 12.5 %) by a 4.2 and 3.91 log reduction, respectively, at 6 h. Despite being less effective, clay leachate (50.0 %) was effective in removing Salmonella Typhimurium biofilm with a decrease of > 3 log in 24 h. An anti-biofilm mechanism was conducted by imaging microbial morphology using SEM, which revealed abnormalities, including ruptured cell walls, after exposure to Kuala Gula clay and supported by CLSM images. Additionally, the anti-biofilm activity was associated with Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production. The present study reveals that Malaysian clay has potential as a natural anti-biofilm agent in the food industry
Reading motivation and reading comprehension achievement among English majors in China: A descriptive correlational study
Get PDFThis study explores the relationship between reading motivation and reading comprehension achievement among English major students in China, an area that has received limited attention in existing literature. Drawing on previous research emphasizing the importance of reading motivation in improving reading skills, this study seeks to examine the connection between reading motivation and reading comprehension achievement within the specific research context. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant positive correlation between reading motivation and reading proficiency among English major students at a Chinese private undergraduate university. The study also indicated that reading motivation can predict reading comprehension scores. This investigation not only fills a gap in current research but also paves the way for future experimental studies to investigate the efficacy of specific motivational interventions or instructional strategies in boosting reading motivation and subsequently improving reading skills among English language learners. The findings of this study are expected to guide educational practices and policies, ultimately leading to advancements in English language education for Chinese students majoring in English
A systematic review of corpus-based instruction in EFL classroom
Get PDFThis systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of corpus-based instruction (CBI) in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. Corpus-based instruction is a teaching method based on actual data from natural language use, representing an important branch of corpus research. It serves as an auxiliary tool for foreign language teaching and is considered an effective instructional method. The researchers aim to thoroughly analyze the empirical studies on corpus-based instruction (CBI) in EFL classrooms, exploring research contexts, theoretical foundations, types of classroom activities, research methods, corpus tools, influencing factors, and the advantages and challenges of implementing CBI. It also proposes effective coping strategies. Following the PRISMA guidelines, the research team conducted an extensive search across four reputable databases—ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Wiley online Library, and the Web of Science—to identify empirical studies on Data-Driven Learning (DDL) and the use of corpora in language learning contexts from 2011 to 2024. A total of forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria for the final review. This systematic review underscores CBI's effectiveness in developing various English skills and promoting learner autonomy but also identifies key challenges, such as its focus on higher-level learners, the complexity of corpus use, and instructional limitations. The review suggests solutions like comprehensive training, simplified resources and tasks, personalized learning paths, and increased resource allocation. These strategies aim to enhance the effectiveness of CBI in EFL classrooms and improve language learning outcomes
Machine learning models to revealing the impacts of ibuprofen on Fistulifera pelliculosa and Mesolimbus marine algae
No full textThis study intelligently analyzes the effects of ibuprofen (IBU) on the metabolism of Fistulifera pelliculosa and Mesolimbus marine algae, through the integration of machine learning (ML) and conventional analytical methods. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) had the highest level (0.282 nmol/L and 2.461 U/ML, respectively) for Mesolimbus under exposure to 100 mg/L IBU. The lowest OD686, Chl-a, and fucoxanthin values were 0.221, 264.89, and 9.531 mg/L respectively, at 100 mg/L IBU. The ML-integrated approach revealed a smart graphical pattern of OD686, Chl-a, and sugar, protein, lipid & fucoxanthin metabolites, highlighting IBU's impact on algae. Moreover, K-means cluster analysis grading the 0-0.1 5.0 mg/L IBU influenced the growth biomass activity, the accuracy and recall are both 100 %, and the decision boundary determines the threshold 4.8 mg/L concentration of IBU affecting Mesolimbus, which is faster and more precise compared to conventional techniques. The principal component analysis (PCA) results indicate that IBU primarily affects fucoxanthin metabolic products in the algae to inhibit algal growth, reduce chlorophyll content, and exacerbate oxidative stress in the algae, leading to increased levels of MDA and SOD. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and K-means models further confirm that IBU greater than 5.0 mg/L have a significant impact on fucoxanthin in both Fistulifera pelliculosa & Mesolimbus algae, and the effect intensified with increasing IBU concentration. ML models mitigate the conventional analyses challenges to enhancing the IBU impact assessment for environmental monitoring decision making tools
Supporting parents with disability and other challenges through occupational therapy: what is needed?
No full textIntroduction: Parenting is a highly valued and challenging occupational role in which many parents experience challenges. Yet the involvement of occupational therapy in supporting parenting for adults with disability and other challenges is relatively low. This paper explores what is needed to increase occupational therapy support for parents with disability and other challenges. Methods: An international online survey was developed based on previous literature and refined via cognitive interviews. It was reviewed by international occupational therapy academics from 11 countries and translated into eight languages. The survey sought the experiences and views of occupational therapists who work with adult populations about supporting parenting occupations. For this paper, fixed-choice and free-text responses illuminating what is needed to increase the provision of that support were analysed. A mixed methods design was used, combining descriptive statistics and interpretive content analysis. Multivariate multinominal logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between needs identified and participant and practice characteristics. Consumer and Community Involvement: This survey and paper were developed with input from occupational therapists and occupational therapy academics from 13 countries. Results: Participants (n = 1347) identified six types of factors needed to increase occupational therapy support for parenting occupations in adult populations. These were supportive institutional structures; training, resources and assessments; and recognition of occupational therapists' suitability to support parenting both within and outside the profession. Responses varied somewhat by country, setting, population, previous training and clinical experience. Conclusion: Increasing occupational therapy support for parents with a variety of disabilities and other challenges requires efforts from individual occupational therapists, professional bodies, organisations and educators
Rapid and non-destructive monitoring of the drying process of glutinous rice using visible-near infrared hyperspectral imaging
Get PDFRapid and non-invasive monitoring of the drying process of glutinous rice is crucial to ensure the effective production of desired dried grain. In this study, visible-near infrared hyperspectral imaging coupled with computational intelligence was used to detect the variation in moisture content (MC), change in colour (ΔE), and golden index (GI) of glutinous rice during drying. Different preprocessing methods and effective wavelength selection techniques were used to eliminate the noise and redundant wavelength in the reflectance spectra, and predictive models were developed for the glutinous rice quality. Savitzky-Golay first derivative (SG1D) showed the best preprocessing performance (0.9564≤RP2≤0.9781, 0.0177≤RMSEP≤0.8242 and 1.28≤MAPD≤5.90forPLSRmodel). The best performance accuracy (RP2≥99.99░%)was obtained when the SG1D and Gaussian process regression (GPR) model were combined with iteratively retained informative variable algorithm (SG1D-IRIV-GPR), variable iterative space shrinkage (SG1D-VISSA-GPR) and variable combination population analysis (SG1D-VCPA-GPR) for the prediction of MC, GI, and ΔE, respectively. The study showed that visible-near infrared hyperspectral imaging coupled with computational intelligence can be used to monitor the quality of glutinous rice during the drying process
DFT analysis investigation on structural, electronic, and mechanical properties of 1T-phase VS2 nanosheet
No full textIn contrast to most transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which are usually semiconducting, the 1T phase of vanadium disulfide (VS2) exhibits conductive characteristics, which provide efficient electrical conductivity for rapid electron transit. Its outstanding physical and chemical properties make it a promising nanodevice candidate. This work addresses the limited research on the mechanical characteristics of 1T-VS2 (space group P-3m1) and facilitates the analysis of many aspects from an atomic perspective. In this work, alongside exploring the mechanical (e.g., uniaxial strains, in-plane stiffness, and Poisson's ratio) properties, a thorough investigation into the structural (e.g., formation energy and optimum lattice parameters) and electronic (e.g., band electronic structure, TDOS, and partial density of states) properties was carried out through the use of density functional theory (DFT) simulations. Our findings indicate that the 1T-VS2 nanosheet exhibits a positive Poisson's ratio, quantified at 0.12. The measured elastic constants, namely C11 and C12, are 96 N/m and 93 N/m, respectively, and the estimated in-plane stiffness is 94 N/m. The nanosheet shows remarkable mechanical flexibility, demonstrating a fracture threshold that exceeds 30% in the zigzag and armchair directions. These results highlight the unique mechanical behaviors of VS2 and its potential for novel applications. Additionally, we found that the 1T-VS2 is thermodynamically stable, with a formation energy of-4.9 eV, and metallic and magnetic, with a magnetic moment of 1.81 Bohr magneton per cell. This combination of features makes VS2 an attractive candidate for various applications, emphasizing its importance in advanced material development
Transition of psychological state from recording to live performance: a longitudinal explanatory sequential study in music students from Universiti Malaya during COVID-19
Get PDFMusic students often struggle with music performance anxiety (MPA), which is debilitating stress brought on by performances. However, MPA varies according to the type of performance. Therefore, this study aims to compare the MPA levels of performance recorded versus live. This study also looks at the factors that influence students’ anxiety levels and their views on the various assessment formats. A total of 28 second-year music undergraduates were recruited. Survey questionnaires (K-MPAI-R) were administered to evaluate the anxiety levels of the students. This was followed by interview sessions with randomly selected participants. Through descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests, this study suggests that the participants were afflicted with different levels of MPA in the first year (M = 127.379) compared to the second year (M = 138.621). There was a significant difference between the MPA level in the recorded assessment and the live assessment. The qualitative interview data were analysed through thematic analysis. The following themes emerged to reflect the factors that influence MPA. Mental/psychological stress was the emergent theme for internal factors, whereas environment, sound quality, and physical challenges were emergent themes for external factors. In conclusion, MPA levels of the students were high regardless of the assessment format and the factors that resulted in MPA varied according to the format
Purification and characterisation of Bile-salt activated lipase (BSAL) enzyme from bovine (Bos taurus) pancreas
Get PDFBile salt-activated lipase (BSAL) is one of the pancreatic lipases that plays a critical role in the digestion and absorption of dietary fats. Objective: This study aimed to purify bile salt-activated lipase (BSAL) from bovine (Bos taurus) pancreatic tissue. Methods: Bovine pancreas was freshly collected from Abattoir Complex, Department of Veterinary Services, Shah Alam, Malaysia. The fats were removed by trimming grossly visible fat, and extraction was performed using organic solvents. The BSAL was purified by anion exchange chromatography and sent for protein identification by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Successful purification of bovine BSAL was visualised as a single protein band on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide (SDS) gel, which LC-MS/MS confirmed as a bovine BSAL (Accession number – P30122) with a molecular mass of 65.12 kDa and calc pI of 5.57. Peptide identification based on the MS spectrum found 200 predictive peptides, ten sequences with bovine BSAL peptide characteristics. The selected predictive peptide sequences have a molecular mass of 1104.60-3378.94 Da with Qvality q-value greater than 0.01 and XCorr Sequest HT value ranging from 2.6 to 6.8. The specific lipolytic enzyme activity of bovine BSAL was comparable with the positive control, as measured using lipase assay. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate the effectiveness of bovine BSAL purification by anion exchange chromatography from fresh pancreatic tissue and may have the potential for further Halal pharmaceuticals and medical applications
Expression of progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) in follicular and luteal tissues in goats – effect of short-term concentrate supplementation
Get PDFThis study evaluated the effects of short-term supplementation with concentrate on ovulation rate, plasma progesterone concentrations and gene expression for Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) in ovarian tissues of Boer goats. Twenty females were allocated to two groups: 1) Control, receiving a maintenance diet consisting of 70% Napier grass plus 30% concentrate (4.45 MJ/day); 2) Supplemented, receiving twice their required metabolizable energy for maintenance by adding extra concentrate (8.90 MJ/day). The dietary treatments were applied for 25 days, beginning 5 days before (Day 5) CIDR removal (Day 0). On Day 19, the ovulation rate was estimated by trans-rectal ultrasonographic scanning. Blood was sampled for progesterone (P4) analysis every 2 days, from Days 9 to 27. On Day 27, the level of expression of PGRMC1 was assessed in follicles and corpora lutea. The ovulation rate was not affected by treatment (Control 1.00 ± 0.24; Supplemented 1.25 ± 0.25). Over Days 13 to 27, plasma P4 concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) greater in the Supplemented group than in the Control group. The expression of PGRMC1 in follicular and luteal tissues was greater in the Supplemented group than in the Control group (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between PGRMC1 expression and P4 concentration (r= 0.65, p<0.05). It was concluded that, in goats, short-term concentrate supplementation could increase P4 concentrations, at least in part, by influencing the expression of PGRMC1. This finding suggests that short-term concentrate supplementation can support embryo development during the luteal phase and early stages of pregnancy