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Global citizenship education concept in Malaysian Japanese language education / Noriko Matsubara
No full textThe world today has been facing issues that affect the entire world such as climate change, poverty, and hunger as well as current problems such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia crisis. These situations remind us of the necessity for all nations, people, and stakeholders to collaborate and work together across countries. Global Citizenship Education (Abbreviated as GCE or GCED, hereafter referred to as GCE in this paper) which aims to foster individuals who understand and contribute to resolving those issues increasingly began to gain more importance and became one of seven outcome targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4 “Quality Education" adopted by United Nations in 2015. This research focuses on the contribution of language education in promoting GCE in Malaysia. This study aims to explore how GCE is reflected in the Japanese language textbooks used in Malaysian secondary schools by analyzing the contents of Japanese language textbooks and identifying the perceptions of Japanese language teachers regarding their awareness of integrating GCE into Japanese language education. The researcher analyzed the textbooks by using content analysis based on UNESCO’s framework of the culture of 2030 indicators (UIS, 2020a) as well as conducted teachers’ perceptions analysis by using a questionnaire survey. The findings of textbooks’ contents analysis revealed that Malaysian Japanese language textbooks have relatively many contents that address GCE mainly with the theme of “Cultural Diversity and Tolerance”, but GCE themes such as “Gender Equality” and “Human Rights” were not found. Thus, more GCE themes should be considered to be included in the contents of future Japanese language textbooks to stimulate critical thinking and wider perspectives of the world among students through language learning. The survey results indicate that many teachers are aware of GCE, but there are gaps in their knowledge. The findings also revealed that although teachers' responses regarding the importance of GCE and incorporating GCE into their teaching were very positive, obstacles such as lack of clear guidance to teachers and lack of inclusion of GCE in the curriculum were identified. From these results, suggestions were drawn that all teachers should be given equal opportunities such as workshops to learn about GCE, and that GCE should be explicitly included in the curriculum. The present research will make a new contribution to incorporating GCE into language education since most researchers analyzed integrating GCE in English Language Teaching (ELT) with little attention paid to other languages such as Japanese language education. In addition, while previous studies focused on either textbook content analysis or language teachers' perceptions, this study employed a combination of the two analyses to give more practical insights into applying GCE in classrooms. This will help syllabus makers and textbook authors in the future when they consider incorporating GCE into language education
Design of ultra low voltage, high efficiency CMOS radio frequency energy harvesting system / Yong Jack Kee
No full textWireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have emerged as a pivotal technology for various IoT applications, driven by advancements in 5G (5th Generation) technology and cloud computing. For stable and continuous operation, Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting (RFEH) is considered an optimal energy source for WSNs to achieve self-power capabilities, alleviating the need for a battery. The rectifier and charge pump (CP) plays a crucial role within the Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting (RFEH) system. However, the performance is significantly impacted by high conduction and reversion loss in subthreshold operation. Despite the existence of dynamic gate biasing (DGB) techniques that aim to mitigate both conduction and reversion losses, these losses cannot be entirely eliminated, resulting in the low performance of the rectifier and CP circuit. Furthermore, the broad range of scavenged input power from the RFEH system can result in elevated output voltage levels that may pose a risk of damaging the WSN load. This thesis presents a comprehensive review of recent rectifier and CP improvement techniques and provides a thorough analysis of the characteristics of the state-of-the-art rectifier and CP circuit. By considering the trade-offs, several enhancements are proposed to optimize these components specifically for subthreshold operation, aiming to improve its power conversion efficiency (PCE). This work proposes a novel advance dynamic gate-biasing technique that focuses on reducing forward conduction loss and reverse current leakage loss in the rectifier and CP. Specifically, the advanced DGB is combined with an NMOS-PMOS dual-switch transistor pair which acts as a secondary switch to further reduce the losses. By implementing this combination, the proposed architecture achieved an ultra-low-voltage input (0.1 V) subthreshold operation CP with a PCE of 43.4 %. Additionally, a novel reconfigurable series-parallel CP employing a dynamic source-fed oscillator with 62 % PCE is introduced. Finally, an integrated RFEH featuring a low-power voltage monitoring unit with 3.3 V bounded output cater is designed to cater to WSN applications. The research contributes to the understanding and advancement of rectifiers and CPs, and the design of a fully integrated RFEH system, enabling more efficient energy utilization in WSNs
Self-directed learning readiness of medical assistant students at University College MAIWP International (UCMI) / Nur Hidayah Ismail
No full textSelf-directed learning (SDL) is a learner-centered approach that has gained recognition as a crucial element in effective education and professional development. SDL empowers learners to take ownership of their educational journey, cultivating lifelong skills essential for success in the evolving healthcare field. The present study aimed to measure self-directed learning readiness among medical assistant students, compare SDL readiness between pre-clinical and clinical students, and investigate the correlation between SDL readiness and academic performance (GPA). This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were collected using the Self-Directed Learning Readiness for Nursing Education (SDLRNE), comprising 29 items across three constructs: self-management, desire for learning, and self-control. A total of 125 students from the Diploma of Medical and Health Sciences (DMHS), previously known as the Diploma of Medical Assistant (DMA), participated in an online survey administered via Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate mean SDL readiness scores. The Mann-Whitney U test compared SDL readiness scores between pre-clinical and clinical groups, while Spearman's rank correlation coefficient examined the relationship between SDL scores and GPA. The mean SDL readiness score was 110.52 (SD = 15.39), indicating that participants had a high level of SDL readiness. The study found no statistically significant differences between pre-clinical and clinical students, nor significant correlations between SDL readiness scores and academic performance. This study highlights the need to refine educational strategies and assessment methods to better support self-directed learning in DMHS programs
The relationship between coping styles and professional quality of life among nurses in China with second victim experience / Li Xizhao
No full textSecond-victim experiences can heighten the risk of compassion fatigue, while support from both individuals and organizations tends to serve as a protective factor. However, the potential for poor compassion satisfaction and increased compassion fatigue among nurses, resulting from adverse events, is still an underestimated problem. Additionally, limited knowledge exists regarding the influence of positive and negative coping styles among nurses with second victim experience. Moreover, it is important to recognize that second-victim experiences can have enduring effects on the personal and professional well-being of nurses. Given this, it is crucial to provide individual-centred support to assist nurses in coping with of the second-victim experience. This study aims to examine the impact of second-victim experiences on the professional quality of life among nurses, while also investigating the mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between second-victim experiences and professional quality of life. Furthermore, to explore
personal and workplace factors that facilitate or hinder coping styles for second victim experiences, from the perspectives of both frontline nurses and nurse managers. This study was divided into two phases. In phase I, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data consists of demographic data, Second Victim Experience and Support Tool, Simplified Coping Styles Questionnaire, and Professional Quality of Life Scale. Multistage sampling was used to recruit registered nurses from Hunan province in China. There are 899 registered nurses who identified themselves as experiencing adverse events from nine tertiary hospitals were included in this study. Participants were recruited to complete a survey on the second victim experience and support tool, the simplified coping style questionnaire, and the professional quality of life scale. The stress coping theory was used to develop the framework in this study. The structural equation modelling approach was used for conducting the mediating effects analysis via IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 and Mplus 8.3. In Phase II, Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 8 nurses and 7 nurse managers from 5 tertiary hospitals located in four cities of varying income levels. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis in NVivo V.12. In total, 67% (n = 899) of nurses reported a second victim experience during their careers. In a bivariate analysis, both second-victims experiences and coping styles were significantly associated with their professional quality of life. The results showed that the effects of second victim experiences on their professional quality of life were fully mediated by coping styles (95% Bias-corrected bootstrap confidence interval did not contain 0), while the effects varied based on the type of coping styles. The analysis revealed four main themes that influenced nurses’ ability to cope with second victim experiences: “Type of emotional trauma exposure,” “Personal characteristics,” “Workplace environment,” and “Social support system.” This study reveals that secondvictim experiences are prevalent among nurses, necessitating acknowledgment and attention. Disregarding the escalating compassion fatigue and declining compassion satisfaction observed in nurses who have encountered adverse events is both impractical and infeasible. The findings of this study shed light on the mediating effects of coping styles, emphasizing the critical importance of implementing support programs and selfcare initiatives specifically tailored to nurses. Moreover, this study uncovers the facilitators and barriers that nurses encounter while coping with second-victim experiences, providing valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions aimed at supporting nurses' well-being and mitigating the negative consequences of such experiences. Recognizing the significance of a comprehensive approach, it is imperative to implement strategies that effectively support nurses in coping with second-victim experiences, ultimately enhancing patient safety and improving the quality of care delivered
Increasing the accuracy of information retrieval systems evaluation by improving the quality of the relevant judgements / Minnu Helen Joseph
No full textInformation retrieval evaluation is a process of measuring how well the participating
systems can meet the information needed by the user. The system's performance is
evaluated based on the relevance judgment set quality. The quality of the judgment set is
measured based on the ability of the participating systems to retrieve as many relevant
documents based on topics into the judgment sets and rank them in a better way and also,
at the same time suppress the irrelevant ones. However, it has been noticed that for smaller
test collections, this assumption might be correct. But for large test collections like
TREC(Text Retrieval Conference), this assumption might not always be true. It has been
noticed that the quality of the judgment sets is not up to the level or incomplete according
to the Cranfield paradigm methodology, especially through document similarity
techniques. The main aim of this thesis is to increase the quality of the relevance judgment
sets during the evaluation process. The quality of the judgment sets can be increased by
augmenting the number of relevant documents in the judgment sets. It will indirectly help
to increase the accuracy of the evaluation process. This thesis's main contribution is to
increase the quality of the judgment sets by proposing some methodologies. The first
experiment explored the issues of partial relevance judgments on existing methodologies.
The methodologies' inability to retrieve all the relevant documents into the relevance
judgment sets is considered. By considering the limitations of the existing methodologies,
a methodology has been proposed to increase the relevant documents in the judgment sets. The proposed methodology combines the pooling and document similarity using
clustering and classification techniques. Documents similarity has been done between
pooled and clustered or classified unjudged documents. If a similarity is found, a new
score will be assigned to those documents and moved that document into the pooled list.
The evaluation continues until all the documents from the pooled list are considered for
the similarity-checking process. The results show that the proposed methodology can
achieve a greater number of relevant documents in the judgment sets and also helps to
achieve a better result with lesser pool depth. The second experiment explored how to
further improve or maintain the quality of the judgment set by considering the test
collection. For this experiment, topics and participating systems from test collections
were considered. Based on the results, it has been proven that a smaller number of the
most effective topics, or easy topics, can maintain the quality of the judgment sets. Also,
based on the system contributions, an enhanced methodology has been proposed and the
results show that it helps to achieve better quality judgment set and also can achieve better
results with lesser pool depth. Both, by considering only the most effective topics and
good contributing systems documents helps to reduce the computational cost of the
evaluation process. Lastly, it has been proven that the proposed methodology helped to
reduce the incompleteness of the judgment sets, and biasness in the ranking of the
judgment sets
Derotational movement generated by 3D directprinted aligner without attachment: A pilot study / Lee Geng Lim
No full textA three-dimensional (3D) direct-printed aligner is a new form of aligner which is directly printed from the designed file. Unlike the conventional thermoformed clear aligner, it omits the need to first print out a working model and subsequently thermoform a thermoplastic material on the model. It is claimed that 3D direct-printed aligner, printed using Tera Harz TC-85 (Graphy Inc, Seoul, Korea), exhibits shape memory and superior fitting accuracy while minimising or even omitting the need for attachment. The elimination of attachment in clear aligner therapy is desirable for patients and clinicians if predictable orthodontic tooth movement can be achieved without attachment. Nonetheless, clinical evidence is lacking on whether the 3D direct-printed aligner can achieve the planned orthodontic movement without attachment, particularly for challenging movements such as the derotation of round-shaped teeth. This study aimed to pilot test the effectiveness of 3D direct-printed aligner in derotating round-shaped teeth without using attachment. A prospective, pilot study was conducted on four patients who presented with five rotated premolars (4 maxillary first premolars, 1 mandibular second premolar) of more than ten degrees at the Postgraduate Orthodontic Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, from 25th January 2024 to 22nd July 2024. Each aligner was designed with a three-degree rotation specifically for the studied premolar and was worn full-time for ten days, except during meals and tooth brushing. The study involved wearing five aligners for a total of fifty days. The effectiveness of 3D direct-printed aligner in derotating the premolars without using attachment was explored by determining the percentage change in the rotation angle of the studied premolars based on the planned derotational movement (a total of 15 degrees using 5 aligners). Three participants developed temporary allergic reactions to the aligner halfway through the study, manifesting as symptoms such as inflammation, a burning sensation, or dry mouth. The fourth participant experienced no undesirable events throughout. Three out of four participants completed the study, while one participant dropped out after having the first aligner due to an allergic reaction; this participant also presented with a rotated mandibular second premolar. The percentage change in the rotation angle of the studied premolars based on the planned derotational movement was 6.7% (2 premolars), 20.0% (1 premolar), and 66.7% (1 premolar), respectively. The highest percentage change was observed in the only participant who did not experience any allergic reaction. Within the limitations of this pilot study, the effectiveness of 3D direct-printed aligners to derotate round-shaped teeth without attachment was found to be inconsistent, with percentage changes in premolar rotation angle varying from 6.7% to 66.7%. This variability may be due to inconsistent and/or non-compliant wear of the aligners, secondary to allergic reactions
Effects of abdominal vibration combined with walking exercise as an adjunct to standard bowel preparation in older patients with constipation / Zhang Yuanyuan
No full textHigh-quality bowel preparation is an important prerequisite for a successful colonoscopy.
However, older patients with constipation are at high risk for inadequate bowel
preparation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an abdominal vibration
combined with walking exercise (AVCWE) programme compared with walking exercise
(WE) and standard bowel preparation regimens for bowel preparation in older patients
with constipation. A prospective, single-blinded, three-arm randomised controlled trial
was conducted between February and August 2023. Older patients with constipation who
underwent colonoscopy at a tertiary hospital in China were prospectively enrolled and
randomly assigned to one of the three groups: the AVCWE group, the WE group, or the
control group. During the period of laxative ingestion, patients assigned to the AVCWE
group were asked to walk independently for at least 5,500 steps at no more than moderate
intensity and received two cycles of moderate-intensity abdominal vibrations. Patients in
the WE group were required to walk independently for at least 5,500 steps at no more
than moderate intensity, whereas patients in the control group received only the standard
bowel preparation regimen. The primary outcome was the quality of bowel preparation
assessed by the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS). The secondary outcomes
included adenoma detection rate, caecal intubation rate, caecal intubation time, adverse
events, satisfaction, and willingness to repeat the same preparation. Additionally, logistic
regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for inadequate bowel
preparation. A total of 271 patients were randomly divided into AVCWE group (n = 90),
WE group (n = 90), and control group (n = 91). The total BBPS score in the AVCWE group (M = 6.99, SD = 0.93) was significantly higher compared with both the WE group
(M = 6.58, SD = 1.08) and the control group (M = 5.96, SD = 1.14) (p < 0.001). Similarly,
compared with other groups, the AVCWE group also had significant advantages in
improving adenoma detection rate (AVCWE group vs WE group vs control group: 42.2%
vs 24.4% vs 20.9%, p = 0.003), satisfaction score (91.98 [SD = 5.93] vs 89.39 [SD = 7.48]
vs 87.37 [SD = 8.25], p < 0.001) and reducing the incidence of bloating (22.2% vs 38.9%
vs 40.7%, p = 0.016). However, there were no significant differences in caecal intubation
rate, caecal intubation time, and willingness. Besides, the first colonoscopy (OR, 2.329;
95% CI, 1.210–4.485; p = 0.011), laxative use ≥ 3 times per week (OR, 2.675; 95% CI,
1.452–4.931; p = 0.002), and poor dietary compliance (OR, 2.249; 95% CI, 1.142–4.430;
p = 0.019) were found to be significant predictors of inadequate bowel preparation in
older patients with constipation. The AVCWE programme significantly improved the
quality of bowel preparation, adenoma detection rate, satisfaction, and significantly
reduced the incidence of bloating in older patients with constipation. Healthcare providers
are recommended to adopt this strategy to optimise the detection of colorectal diseases
and elevate the standard of healthcare services for this ‘difficult-to-prepare’ population
Diuresis effectiveness of aminophylline and furosemide combination in critically ill adults / Ng Haw Shyan
No full textFurosemide is commonly used to improve urine output; however its use is not without complications. Aminophylline, a potent bronchodilator, has also been shown to exhibit diuretic properties though its effects on renal vascular. Concurrently use of Aminophylline and Furosemide has been used clinically in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery and in paediatric population, especially in neonates. However, evidence of Aminophylline and Furosemide combination use in critically ill adults is scarce. We conducted a randomised controlled trial in University of Malaya Medical Center intensive care unit from 1st July 2023 up to 31st March 2024, to compare the effectiveness of aminophylline and furosemide combination versus furosemide alone in
producing effective diuresis. A total of 28 adult ICU patients were randomly divided into intervention group (n = 14) and control group (n = 14). The intervention group received infusion of Aminophylline 150mg and Furosemide 120mg diluted in 50ml normal saline, while control group received infusion of Furosemide 120mg diluted in 50ml normal saline. Primary outcome was diuresis effectiveness 6 hours post intervention, effective diuresis was defined as urine output > 0.5ml/kg/hr. Secondary outcomes include diuresis effectiveness 2 hours post intervention, mean duration to produce effective diuresis, mean change of urine output over 6 hours, mean change of serum creatinine level and eGFR over one day, and the need for renal replacement therapy during ICU stay. Our study revealed that intervention group was not superior to control group in producing effective diuresis within 2 hours and 6 hours period, however this finding was not statistically significant. There was no clinical difference in time taken for either group to achieve effective diuresis. Urine output over 6 hours improved more for control group. There was less increase in serum creatinine level and less reduction in eGFR in intervention compared to control group. There were more patients who had RRT during their ICU stay in control group compared to intervention group. In conclusion, the infusion of combined Aminophylline and Furosemide is not superior to Furosemide alone in producing effective diuresis. The combined infusion may have a renal protective effect, but our findings need to be confirmed by future study with larger sample size
Khitan wanita menurut Fiqh al-Hadith: Pembinaan garis panduan amalan khitan wanita di Malaysia / Norazam Khair Mohd Ithnin
No full textPada 7 Disember 2021, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) mengadakan perbincangan meja bulat bersama para pakar mengenai amalan khitān wanita yang sebelum ini telah diputuskan kewajipannya oleh Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI) pada tahun 2009. Perbincangan ini dilakukan sebagai respons terhadap dakwaan yang menyatakan bahawa amalan khitān wanita hanya merupakan adat, berdalilkan daripada hadith-hadith tidak autentik, tidak diwajibkan dalam Islam dan dianggap sebagai Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis keabsahan hadith-hadith yang berkaitan dengan amalan khitān wanita, mengenal pasti fiqh al-hadith dan meneroka realiti amalan ini dalam kalangan pegawai perubatan yang beragama Islam di Malaysia. Kajian ini membina sebuah draf Garis Panduan Amalan Khitān Wanita (GPAKW) untuk digunakan oleh pegawai perubatan beragama Islam di Malaysia. Metodologi kajian ini merangkumi pendekatan campuran dengan menggabungkan elemen kualitatif, kuantitatif, dan reka bentuk dan pembangunan (DDR). Pengumpulan data melibatkan pelbagai kaedah seperti dokumentasi, temu bual separa struktur, edaran soal selidik untuk menilai keperluan garis panduan, dan edaran soal selidik fuzzy delphi untuk penilaian kebolehgunaan garis panduan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa amalan khitān wanita disyariatkan dalam Islam, didukung oleh lapan ayat Al-Quran dan telah menjadi satu budaya dalam masyarakat Islam. Analisis terhadap hadith menunjukkan bahawa sebanyak 17 hadith membincangkan pelbagai aspek amalan khitān wanita dengan 11 hadith ialah ṣahīh, lima hadith ialah ḥasan dan satu hadith ialah ḍaʿīf. Soal selidik yang melibatkan 310 responden pegawai perubatan beragama Islam menunjukkan tingginya keperluan untuk pembinaan garis panduan amalan khitān wanita dengan skor min mencapai 4.27. Draf Garis Panduan Amalan Khitān Wanita (GPAKW) kemudian dibina melalui analisis kandungan temu bual dengan tiga orang pakar obstetrik dan ginekologi. Penilaian kebolehgunaan GPAKW melibatkan 15 pakar dari pelbagai bidang termasuk fatwa, hadith, obstetrik dan ginekologi, gender dan fisiologi, psikologi, perubatan keluarga, dan bioetika Islam. Hasilnya menunjukkan penerimaan positif dalam kalangan pakar berkenaan item draf GPAKW dengan skor threshold kurang daripada 0.2, peratusan kesepakatan melepasi 75%, dan skor fuzzy (A) lebih tinggi daripada nilai α-cut iaitu 0.5. Keseluruhan, kajian ini memberikan pandangan yang komprehensif mengenai isu khitān wanita dalam konteks Malaysia, menyumbang kepada pemahaman lebih mendalam dan pembinaan garis panduan amalan yang relevan
The linguistic landscape, language use, attitudes, vitality and planning in Inner Mongolia / Du Jinke
No full textAlthough there has been increasing concern over ethnic language vitality and maintenance over the years, ethnic languages have continued to be squeezed out further by majority and global languages due to modernization and globalization. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in northern China, is a multiethnic and multilingual region that is the main residence for Chinese Mongols and home to several other Chinese ethnic minorities. Over the past decades, a clear language shift from ethnic languages to Mandarin (commonly referred to as Chinese) has occurred, and some ethnic languages have been gradually replaced by Chinese in many domains, although many efforts have been made to maintain and revitalize them in Inner Mongolia. English is also becoming relatively important. This study examines language use, language attitudes, language vitality, the linguistic landscape, and language planning among three ethnic languages in Inner Mongolia, namely Mongolian, Korean, and Daur. By adopting a mixed method approach and conducting eight months of fieldwork in Inner Mongolia, data consisting of 567 questionnaires, 28 interviews, and 1046 photographs of public signs, as well as relevant national, regional, and local language planning documents, was gathered and analyzed. The findings show that (1) the three ethnic languages are still used in various domains and interviewees hold positive attitudes towards ethnic languages, and that Mongolian has relatively high language vitality whereas Korean and Daur are endangered; (2) the linguistic landscape is one of abundant linguistic diversity, and has been influenced by top-down policy, bottom-up language preferences, economic development needs, and tourist demands; (3) in contrast to Korean and Daur, Mongolian enjoys higher status and more official support in Inner Mongolia, and (4) current regional language planning consolidates the existing linguistic hierarchy. The limitations include the facts that the survey respondents were not perfectly randomly sampled; there is an uneven distribution of gender, age, and education in the results; the ethnic language materials relied on in the study are somewhat limited; only five commercial streets in three major cities were selected for the linguistic landscape study; and, of its nature, this descriptive study is unable to offer deep insight into the overall linguistic landscape. The significance of the study is first, that it contributes to the empirical and conceptual knowledge of sociolinguistic research in Chinese ethnic areas and provides a base for future assessment and comparative studies; and second, that it provides empirical data for future studies intended to inform the implementation of appropriate or applicable minority language planning to revitalize ethnic languages in China and internationally