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Domain adaptation with category-level contrastive learning for semi-supervised cross-modal hashing
No full textCross-modal hashing(CMH) is a key technique in information retrieval, valued for its efficiency, low dimensionality, and minimal storage requirements. Despite notable progress in this field, challenges persist, particularly the reliance on large labeled datasets. This paper presents a novel domain adaptation framework that leverages a limited set of labeled data from the source domain to guide the training of a large quantity of unlabeled data in the target domain. Our approach incorporates pseudo-label generation to iteratively refine semantic representations in the target domain, progressively narrowing the semantic gap between domains. Additionally, we propose a category-level contrastive learning(CLCL) method to address class conflict issues common in traditional instance-based contrastive learning. By generating category prototype representations, we enhance the model’s ability to discriminate between categories effectively. Moreover, our framework includes a comprehensive optimization objective that integrates pseudo-label generation loss, contrastive learning loss, and hash code learning loss, ensuring that the generated hash codes are both discrete and discriminative. Experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate the superiority of our approach over existing CMH methods
Influence of humidity on the performance of CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite solar cells
No full textPerovskite solar cells (PSC) are widely studied due to their high efficiency of up to 25%. Nonetheless, the perovskite material is susceptible to humidity as water can lead to its degradation. Given that the humidity in Malaysia is exceptionally high, significant care must be taken when fabricating the PSC in a low-humidity environment. Therefore, this paper investigated the influence of humidity on the performance of PSCs. A mixed cation CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite ink was used in this study further to eliminate other contributing factors to performance degradation. The fabricated device demonstrated 0.6% power conversion efficiency (PCE) at 50 % relative humidity (RH). In contrast, the PCE was 1% at 30 %RH. Consequently, it is proven that humidity plays an essential role in optimising the PSC, as higher humidity will result in a low performing device. Overall, this study can assist in the future prospects in commercialising perovskite fabrication in Malaysia
Moderating role of place identity in parental support of children’s folk games in Chinese neighbourhoods
No full textChildren’s physical and mental health are currently facing serious challenges due to decreasing outdoor activity time and an increasingly homogeneous selection of accessible games. Children’s social skills and physical development are improved by folk games, which also encourage them to interact more with the natural world. This study uses linear regression and moderating effect analyses based on a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire survey of 434 parents from four urban residential neighbourhoods in Taiyuan, China. The results show that parental support considerably impacts children’s engagement in folk games. This effect becomes even stronger when parents demonstrate moderate or higher degrees of place identity to their neighbourhood’s environment. These findings highlight the significance of promoting children’s active participation in folk games to enhance social connection and nature exploration. Additionally, parents’ emotional connections to their neighbourhoods, which are based on a sense of belonging and shared experiences, influence the requirements for play spaces. This provides valuable insights for parents, educators, urban planners and policymakers to develop or implement supportive measures that promote holistic child development and preserve cultural heritage
The role of risk, religiosity, fairness, and norms on attitude and intention of movie piracy: insight from the perspective of young Indonesian users
No full textThis article fills a theoretical gap in the literature by incorporating perceived risk theory, equity theory, religiosity theory, social norm theory, and the theory of planned behavior to investigate key factors influencing the movie piracy attitude and intention. This research was conducted using convenience sampling of 327 respondents in Jabodetabek. Data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Risk, fairness, and intrinsic religiosity have a significant influence on attitude and intention toward movie piracy, while extrinsic religiosity and descriptive norms do not. This research also confirmed the significance of attitude toward the intention of movie piracy. Governments and movie producers should launch communicative social advertisements to emphasize the risk involved when watching pirated movies. The effort needed to produce a movie also should be highlighted. In addition, religious leaders may support the government and movie industry by informing people through religiosity aspect
Effect of N, N-dimethylglycine (DMG) supplementation on haematological parameters and frequency of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in cats post-vaccination
No full textN, N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a commonly used nutraceutical in veterinary medicine, which is claimed to have immunomodulating properties. This novel study investigated the effect of DMG supplementation on feline haematological parameters and the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells after vaccination with a single-dose commercial core vaccine. A total of twelve neutered cats were divided into control (n=6) and treatment groups (n=6) and received one dose of feline core vaccine at day 0. The treatment group then received oral DMG supplementation (125 mg/mL) twice daily for 14 days. Blood samples were collected on days 0 and 15 for haematological, differential cell count, and T cell phenotyping analysis. Haematological analysis revealed no significant difference between the control and treatment groups after 14 days of the experiment. At post-treatment, the neutrophil percentage of the treatment group was significantly lower (p=0.0238) compared to the control group, while the lymphocyte percentage of the treatment group was significantly higher (p=0.013) compared to the control group. The reduction in neutrophil percentage could be due to bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme, while an increase in lymphocyte percentage could be attributed to an increase in B cell or NK cell subsets instead of T cells. Future research is warranted to investigate the effects of DMG on B cells and natural killer cell activation and to explore the long-term effects of DMG supplementation on feline immune health
Homogenizer-intensified room temperature emollient ester isoamyl oleate production
No full textThe present study reports a successful experiment to produce emollient ester isoamyl oleate (IAO) in room temperature conditions. The process was conducted under mild conditions without external heating. A factorial design was applied to study the effects of molar ratio, catalyst concentration, and rotational speed over different reaction times. The highest IAO conversion (99.3 %) was achieved within just 5 min at room temperature using a 1: 3 M ratio, 0.1 M catalyst concentration, and 4000 rpm rotational speed. The reaction was completed rapidly due to enhanced mass transfer and mixing. Compared to conventional reflux and microwave-assisted methods, the homogenizer-assisted process reduced energy consumption by up to 93 % and reaction time by over 90 %. This approach demonstrates a promising green alternative for ester production with significant energy and time savings
A comprehensive method to generating and identifying transgenic tobacco lines with a single transgene integration locus for functional analysis
No full textTobacco is a popular model plant used for studying gene function. The generation of transgenic tobacco is tremendously essential in functional genomics. The generated transgenic plants must undergo careful selection and analysis before being used. However, most published protocols for generating transgenic tobacco for functional genomics are not comprehensive and involve sophisticated equipment. This study demonstrates an efficient and comprehensive method for developing and selecting transgenic tobacco lines without involving sophisticated equipment. Transgene was delivered into the genome of a tobacco plant via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed to verify the integration of transgenes in the putative primary transformants. Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) examined transgene expressions. The number of transgene integration loci (TIL) was determined by transgene segregation analysis. PCR results revealed that ≈97% of the primary transformants were positive. The transgene was highly expressed in the transgenic plants. Segregation analysis showed that 47.6%–66.7% of the transgenic plants contained a single TIL, and the T1 and T2 progenies inherited the transgene. Homozygous transgenic lines with a single TIL were successfully developed by using our method. This manuscript encompasses detailed guidance on genetic transformation, molecular analysis, seed production, and transgene segregation analysis. It serves as a guideline for the researchers to produce transgenic tobacco lines that can be used for functional analysis. The procedures described here can be conducted in standard laboratories as they require no high-end equipment. This comprehensive and efficient method for generating transgenic tobacco will foster functional genomics
Bibliometric analysis of organizational cynicism
No full textOrganizational cynicism represents a highly negative attitude held by employees towards their employing organizations. In recent years, research on organizational cynicism has been steadily increasing, often positioning it as a new paradigm in employer-employee relationships. Cynicism has significantly impacted organizations and societies in regions from the United States and Europe to Asia. However, bibliometric studies focusing on organizational cynicism are relatively scarce. Hence, this study systematically reviews the existing literature on organizational cynicism. This study conducted a comprehensive review of 163 articles from the Scopus database that pertain to organizational cynicism. Furthermore, utilizing bibliometric methods, the study analyzed publication trends, sources, co-authorship, citations, affiliated countries, organizations, funding sources, subject areas, and popular topics within the selected articles. This study systematically synthesizes the current literature on organizational cynicism and suggests emerging trends and potential directions for future research. This study holds substantial significance for guiding forthcoming inquiries in this domain
Anti-obesity medication (naltrexone/bupropion) in obesity management: single-centre early experience
No full textBackground: Naltrexone/bupropion is a recently approved antiobesity medication in Malaysia. We aimed to determine the 12-week outcomes of naltrexone/bupropion as an antiobesity medication at our centre. Methods: This was a single-centre, prospective, pilot, observational study. All patients prescribed naltrexone/bupropion at Metabolic and Obesity Clinic, Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Universiti Putra Malaysia, between July 2023 and January 2024 were identified. The collected data included demographics, comorbidities, baseline weight, and body mass index. At the 12-week follow-up, data on weight, body mass index, side effects, and anti-craving effects were documented. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables and as count and frequency for categorical variables. Results: Eighteen patients were treated with naltrexone/bupropion during the study. The majority were female (n = 13, 72%) and Malay (n = 13, 72%), with a mean age of 45 years (SD = 10). The mean body mass index was 38 kg/m2 (SD = 8). Comorbidities included diabetes (n = 9, 50%), hypertension (n = 7, 39%), and dyslipidaemia (n = 11, 61%). Of the 14 patients (78%) who completed 12 weeks of follow-up, the mean weight loss was 2.11 kg (SD = 2.61, P = 0.01), and the percentage of total body weight loss was 2%. The main side effects were giddiness (50%), nausea (44%), and headaches (38%). Naltrexone/bupropion was effective in reducing cravings in 75% of the patients. 63% of patients experienced side effects, which slowed escalation. Conclusion: Our early experience with naltrexone/bupropion as an antiobesity medication suggests that it is effective in managing obesity with craving symptoms. A longer follow-up with a larger group of patients is necessary before a definitive conclusion can be made