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Staging heritage: the nationalisation of Dabus in Malaysia
Get PDFThe development of a national identity was a shared experience for Southeast Asian countries after World War II. Malaysia, having achieved independence only 66 years ago, still struggles to define its national identity given its multicultural nature. During the post-independence era, the government made efforts to maintain racial harmony due to diverse race categorisations and ethnicities, as well as rising racial tensions. Therefore, a number of policies were implemented towards the development of a Malaysian identity. The implementation of policies, such as the National Culture Policy (NCP) affected both the music and dance heritage specifically, as well as the arts community at large in Malaysia. Dabus as a ritualistic performance which includes self-flagellation undergoes modifications as it was developed as one of Malaysia’s performing arts genre. However, dabus development at the village and national level remained distinct. In this research project, I investigate the institutionalisation of dabus during post-independence Malaysia, focusing on dabus developments as a staged performance. With this thesis, I argue that dabus is representative of Malaysia's cultural and historical experience, considering its presence as a ritual, a local music and dance traditional form, and a government-sponsored performing art genre. By studying the policies of Malaysia that define cultural identities, I use dabus to highlight issues of presentation and representation of Malaysia's heritage through the performing arts. For this purpose, the study compares the repertoires of Perak as a ritual, Kuala Selangor as a local music and dance traditional form, and the choreography of Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN) as a performing art genre, which construct a Malaysian identity at the local, state, and national levels, respectively
Knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 post-vaccination in Malaysian and Arabian population
No full textCOVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by Coronavirus 2 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). As of January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international (PHEIC) concern regarding COVID-19. Since then, there have been continuous attempts in battling the virus including, complete lockdowns, social distancing, and complying with necessary preventive measures. Scholars have reported that the public's knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of COVID-19 are likely to influence compliant preventive measures towards the virus. Evidence suggests that public KAPs are critical in combating pandemics. Now that more than 80% of both populations have been vaccinated, it is relevant to study the KAPs post-vaccination and post-lockdown phase to determine the public’s compliance with practice towards the virus. The objective of this study is to determine the association between socio-demographic characteristic and KAPs towards Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus, vaccines, and infection status of a cohort in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. A binational, cross-sectional study consisting of 530 participants was conducted between December 2021 and May 2022. The study was aimed to demonstrate KAPs on a binational level to observe KAPs in two populations towards the virus and vaccine post-lockdown phase and to analyse the association of their socio-demographic characteristics with their KAPs. Of the 530 participants, 213 were reported to have previously encountered a COVID-19 infection and 317 have not. This study was conducted online, and the questionnaire was distributed in a convenience sampling strategy via social media platforms (WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms) and responses were collected through online Google forms. Only those fully vaccinated and above 18 years of age were eligible for participation in the study. The data was extracted in an excel sheet form and analysed in IBM SPSS 27. To analyse the results of the study, statistical analysis of descriptive statistics, Chi-square analysis, and binary logistic regressions were performed. Descriptive statistics were used to display the sociodemographic characteristics of participants. Whereas Chi-square analysis was performed at 95% confidence interval for each population to analyse the association between KAPs and demographic characteries and their KAPs according to their infection status. The findings of the study showed that participants in Saudi Arabia had better knowledge levels (p<0.05) than those in Malaysia. Female residents in both
populations also displayed better knowledge levels than males. In Saudi Arabia,
participants with lower degrees were found to have better vaccine knowledge (p<0.05) which opposed other findings in the study that revealed better KAPs for higher degree holders. Post-infection attitude levels of individuals did not reveal much of a difference between infected and non-infected. However, the practices and knowledge levels were drastically different – infected individuals exhibited better practices and knowledge than non-infected. Our study revealed alarming levels of knowledge for non-infected participants in Malaysia (GL:28.5%, PL:71.5%) and Saudi Arabia (GL39.2%, PL:60.8%). This raises a concern of gaps in knowledge levels including preventive measures and viral transmission. It is anticipated that the reported poor levels may have influenced their attitudes and practices, particularly in Malaysia, poor attitude and practices levels were reported. The identification of such gaps and specific groups in the society associated with them could provide useful information to health policymakers about the KAPs post-vaccination and post-lockdown that could aid in future pandemic educational and awareness programs
A study on cyberbullying among visually impaired youth in Malaysia: prevalence and its associated factors
No full textTechnological advances have revolutionised the way we communicate, especially with the influx of social networking sites used primarily by young people. However, a worldwide phenomenon, cyberbullying, is a cause of concern for youth advocates who are up to date with technology. Malaysian visually impaired youth are vulnerable to cyberbullying, but the aspect has been poorly studied in Malaysia. This is a mixed method sequential study with two phases. Phase 1 uses quantitative methods to investigate the prevalence rate of cyberbullying from the perspectives of victims, perpetrators, and bystanders among Malaysian visually impaired youth as well as the technological exposure, self-efficacy, and social support associated with cyberbullying experiences and if social support acted as a mediator between variables. For Phase 2, qualitative focus groups were used to collect data on how participants experience cyberbullying with regards technological exposure, self-efficacy, and social support. 199 Malaysian visually impaired youths (Mean = 17.81; S.D.= 1.641) participated in this mixed-method cross-sectional study (Phase 1) with Braille paper-and-pen and voice-over online surveys. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed research hypotheses. For phase 1, the results revealed that of the 188 participants, 47.2% are cybervictims, 10.6% are cyberperpetrators, and 50.3% are cyberbystanders. Social support from teachers is the most important factor negatively influencing cyberbullying experiences, followed by empathic and defending self-efficacy. Results also showed that defending self-efficacy was positively related to social support from family and friends and social support from teachers. Indirect mediating relationships were investigated and found that social support from teachers mediated the relationship between defending self-efficacy and cyberbullying experiences, as well as empathic self-efficacy and cyberbullying experiences. For Phase 2, the research objective was to explore how participants experience cyberbullying with regards technological exposure, self-efficacy, and social support and data were analysed using NVivo software. Phase 2 qualitative findings supported the quantitative results and provided the rich details in the three themes which emerged: (1) Technological exposure, (2) Self-efficacy, and (3) Social support. To raise awareness of cyberbullying, an educational programme can be considered that focuses on raising awareness of cyberbystanders. Implementing educational programmes on the importance of support from school counsellors and teachers should be considered to teach students skills such as coping mechanisms for cyberbullying to reduce the incidence of cyberbullying. In addition, implementation of law and regulation by the government is relatively important and should be drawn attention to, in order to decrease the likelihood of cyberbullying incidents
Enhancing Arabic vocabulary mastery through augmented reality: a study on AR-MUFRADAT application for primary school students
No full textThe advancement of modern technology has greatly influenced national development, with technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) increasingly integrated into education in Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite this, no study has yet explored the specific need for AR technology in teaching Arabic vocabulary from the KSSR syllabus in primary schools. Currently, students rely on traditional teaching methods, which limit their learning experience. This study investigates the need for AR-Mufradat development among Year 5 students at Sri Al-Amin Bangi Primary School. A quantitative approach was used, involving 30 students as respondents, and data was collected through a survey. The findings, analyzed using SPSS version 26, reveal a high demand for AR-Mufradat among these students. This study aims to guide future research, suggesting that AR technology could enhance the teaching and learning of Arabic, allowing students to master the language more effectively
Problematic gaming in Malaysian University students: translation and psychometric evaluation of the Malay Language Versions of Gaming Disorder Test and Gaming Disorder Scale for Young Adults
No full textAs research on gaming disorder (GD) is growing globally, the need for a valid and reliable instrument to assess GD has become crucial. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study translated and evaluated the psychometric properties of Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) and Gaming Disorder Scale for Young Adults (GADIS-YA) into Malay language versions. The sample comprised 624 university students (females = 75.6%; mean age = 22.27 years) recruited via an online survey from May to August 2022, using a convenience sampling method. Participants completed both GDT and GADIS-YA scales and other relevant measures including Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), and time spent on social media and gaming. Results showed that both instruments reported satisfactory internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor structure for GDT and two-factor structure for GADIS-YA. Both scales were strongly correlated with each other and with the IGDS9-SF, BSMAS, and time spent on social media and gaming, supporting concurrent validity. Measurement invariance of both scales was confirmed across gender and gaming time. These findings suggest that the Malay versions of GDT and GADIS-YA are reliable and valid measures of problematic gaming among Malaysian university students
Leveraging nitrogen occurrence in approved drugs to identify structural patterns
No full textBackground
The process of drug development and discovery is costly and slow. Although an understanding of molecular design principles and biochemical processes has progressed, it is essential to minimize synthesis-testing cycles. An effective approach is to analyze key heteroatoms, including oxygen and nitrogen. Herein, we present an analysis focusing on the utilization of nitrogen atoms in approved drugs.
Research design and methods
The present work examines the frequency, distribution, prevalence, and diversity of nitrogen atoms in a dataset comprising 2,049 small molecules approved by different regulatory agencies (FDA and others). Various types of nitrogen atoms, such as sp3-, sp2-, sp-hybridized, planar, ring, and non-ring are included in this investigation.
Results
The results unveil both previously reported and newly discovered patterns of nitrogen atom distribution around the center of mass in the majority of drug molecules.
Conclusions
This study has highlighted intriguing trends in the role of nitrogen atoms in drug design and development. The majority of drugs contain 1–3 nitrogen atoms within 5Å from the center of mass (COM) of a molecule, with a higher preference for the ring and planar nitrogen atoms. The results offer invaluable guidance for the multiparameter optimization process, thus significantly contributing toward the conversion of lead compounds into potential drug candidates
Edible dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) as human food – A comprehensive review
No full textThe rapid growth of the human population leads to a big concern about the food y and demand worldwide. However, due to the reduction in global arable land area, humans need to find alternative food sources to fulfil their needs. Consequently, edible insects have been identified as a promising solution to ameliorate food security and increase global nutrition. Among more than 2,100 identified edible insect species, dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are considered as one of nutritious food resources. Nevertheless, detailed information on the frequency and distribution of consumption of odonatans around the world is scattered and poorly documented. Based on this review, at least 61 out of 1,964 species of odonatans were reported consumed by people worldwide. The most consumed dragonflies (suborder Epiprocta; infraorder Anisoptera) are from the family of Libellulidae, followed by Aeshnidae and Gomphidae, whereas the most consumed edible damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are from the Coenagrionidae family. Many nutrients, including proteins, lipids, energy, fibre, vitamins, and minerals are abundant in edible odonatans. Moreover, studies reported that humans employed these insects as therapeutic agents to remedy various ailments. Challenges associated with the consumption of edible odonatans include safety concerns, legal frameworks, and limited information on their bioecology which become barrier for their successful mass-rearing. However, because entomophagy is gradually gaining recognition, new and more improved methods of rearing are now being developed including for edible odonatans, encouraging sustainable insect farming. As the world strives to achieve the sustainable development goals, insect farming will pave a way for resources to be utilised for sustainable economic development
Transferable data exclusivity vouchers are not the solution to the antimicrobial drug development crisis: A commentary on the proposed EU pharma regulation
No full textAccess to pharmaceutical products worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic when key developers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicinal products prioritised their national markets. These challenges led to a stronger commitment by the European Union (EU) to become more autonomous in developing and providing access to pharmaceutical products for its population.1
In April 2023, the European Commission (EC) proposed a reform of the EU pharma regulation to improve patient-centredness, strengthen the European pharmaceutical industry and incentivise pharmaceutical innovation.1 This reform needs to be approved by the European Parliament. In its present form, it includes the introduction of Transferable Data Exclusivity Vouchers (TDEVs) to address the crisis in antimicrobial innovation. In this commentary, we assess the use of TDEVs as an important element of the EC’s proposed pharma strategy on antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Polymorphism of HLA and Susceptibility of Breast Cancer
Get PDFBreast cancer (BC) is the second most common malignancy in the world. Numerous studies have demonstrated the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and cancer. The occurrence and development of BC are closely linked to genetic factors. Human leukocyte antigens G and E (HLA-G and HLA-E) are non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. These molecules play an important role in immune surveillance by inhibiting the cytotoxic and natural killer T cells responsible for immune escape. The expression of HLA-G and HLA-E has been associated with several diseases, including tumors. The HLA system plays a key role in the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance. This review aims to determine the correlation between BC susceptibility and HLA markers specific HLA alleles such as HLA-B07, HLA-DRB111, HLA-DRB113, and HLA-DRB115 are associated with an increased risk of developing BC. Furthermore, HLA-G mutations have been attributed to an elevated likelihood of metastasis in BC patients. Understanding the complex associations between the HLA system and BC development is critical for developing novel cancer prevention, detection, and treatment strategies. This review emphasizes the importance of analyzing HLA polymorphisms in the management of BC patients, as well as the urgent need for further research in this area
Antiviral activity of SP81 peptide against Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71)
No full textThe hand, food, and mouth disease (HFMD) is primarily caused by Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). EV-A71 outbreaks in the Asia Pacific have been associated with severe neurological disease and high fatalities. Currently, there are no FDA-approved antivirals for the treatment of EV-A71 infections. In this study, the SP81 peptide, derived from the VP1 capsid protein of EV-A71 was shown to be a promising antiviral candidate for the treatment of EV-A71 infections. SP81 peptide was non-toxic to RD cells up to 45 μM, with a half-maximal cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of 90.32 μM. SP81 peptide exerted antiviral effects during the pre- and post-infection stages with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 4.529 μM and 1.192 μM, respectively. Direct virus inactivation of EV-A71 by the SP81 peptide was also observed with an IC50 of 8.076 μM. Additionally, the SP81 peptide exhibited direct virus inactivation of EV-A71 at 95% upon the addition of the SP81 peptide within 5 min. This study showed that the SP81 peptide exhibited significant inhibition of EV-A71 and could serve as a promising antiviral agent for further clinical development against EV-A71 infections