32 research outputs found
Adolescents' classroom perceptions and their impact on motivation
No full textThis present study was concerned with determining the nature of perceptions of actual and preferred classroom environments, and their impact on achievement motivation among three different ability groups of early adolescents. Also, gender differences in students' actual and preferred Classroom Perceptions and Achievement Motivation were explored. A total sample of 84 male and female students from three classes in a neighbourhood government school in Singapore was used. The three classes comprised the Express, Normal Academic and Normal Technical ability groups.Master of Arts (Applied Psychology
Methylation of the Long Control Region of Hpv16 Is Related to the Severity of Cervical Neoplasia
No full textOncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is the cause of cervical cancer. Hypermethylation of the CpG islands located at the long control region ( LCR) of the HPV genome may regulate the expression of the major oncogenes E6 and E7, and may relate to cancer progression. The goal of the present study was to investigate the methylation patterns of CpG dinucleotides contained within the LCR of the HPV16 genome in a collection of clinical specimens comprising the full spectrum of cervical carcinogenesis. Study design: The status of LCR methylation was investigated in HPV16-infected cervical precancer and cancer cell lines, and in HPV16- infected low-grade squamous intratepithelial lesion of cervix (LSIL, n = 17), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL, n = 21) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC, n = 15) by bisulfite sequencing. Results: Among the three CpG islands of HPV16 LCR, methylation was found in three in the CaSki cell, in two upstream ones in SiHa cell, and none in the precancerous Z172 cell. Reactivation of E6 gene expression upon demethylation by 5-aza-dC and TSA treatments was noted in CaSki cells. In HPV-infected cervical specimens, progressive methylation of HPV16 LCR was noted, with rates of 5 .9%, 33.3% and 53.3% in LSIL, HSIL and SCC, respectively (P < 0.01). A trend toward increasing density of CpG methylation was also noted. Topologically, more methylated sites were found at the E6/E7 promoter region in SCC, compared with LSIL and HSIL Conclusion: The study disclosed downregulation of E6 gene transcription by LCR methylation in cervical cancer cells. Methylation of HPV 16 LCR is highly associated with severity of cervical neoplasm
Teleconferencing : Singapore a global village?
No full textTeleconferencing has become a hot topic among the newspapers, journals
and media lately in Singapore As can be seen from the report in the Straits
Times on May 16, 1994, (as found in the appendix I) more companies are
expressing interest in t2leconferencing, a relr:tively new development in
communication. Since then, there have been other articles on the possible
uses of teleconferencing in, Singapore such as the courtrooms and homes
What is teleconferencing exactly0 How does it affect us as users in the
business world and at home? What are some of the factors to consider
before implementation? In this report, we will try to address these
questions in the Singapore context.
At present, although there is a significant amount of interest shown in
teleconferencing due to successful marketing by the telecommunications
industry, companies are still apprehensive of venturing into such a new
innovation. In fact, there are many grey areas unresolved in the subject of
teleconferencing that we have not attempted to cover. Instead we
concentrate mainly on the human aspects of teleconferencing that
companies in Singapore are concerned with currently
Teleconferencing is one of the great developments in technology and this
may well lead us into a future world of networking via telephone, television
and computer. Teleconferencing has come about because of the need to
communicate promptly. We have the power to make teleconferencing a
way of livingACCOUNTANC
Residual Income versus Earnings: Which Measure is more Associated with Shareholder Wealth Creation?
No full textThis study aims to test on an empirical basis which measure, a value-based measure such as residual income (“RI”) or the traditional measure such as earnings, is more closely associated with shareholder wealth creation. Motivation for the study emanates from the increasing emphasis on shareholder wealth creation in Malaysia and interest in the value-based measures for it. It has also been encouraged by Stern Stewart’s recent claim through the Malaysian press that Economic Value Added (“EVA”), an RI concept, is the measure most directly linked to shareholder wealth creation over time. A good performance measure is seen as one which is a good barometer of shareholder wealth creation. A measure which highly correlates with changes in shareholder wealth would appeal to shareholders as it fits into their objective of maximising the value of their investment. Hence, it would be useful to know which of the two performance measures has higher correlation with shareholder wealth creation.The study involves relative and incremental information content tests, carried out by performing annual regression analysis on data covering a 5-year period from year 1999 to 2003. Sample firms comprise listed Malaysian companies which form the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index. Two forms of measures are used for shareholder wealth creation, namely,actual and abnormal share returns. Actual share return takes into account changes in the equity market value and dividends of firms. Abnormal share return refers to actual share return that is in excess of expected return, given the risk of the investment.Our results reveal earnings to be the measure more closely associated with shareholder wealth
creation. Supplemental tests indicate that cost of equity has incremental information content in explaining actual share return, but generally not with regards to abnormal return. Further extensions of the incremental tests reveal that past RIs and earnings generally do not add significantly to the information content of current RIs and earnings in explaining shareholder wealth creation. If RI is viewed as a proxy for EVA, our results contradict Stern Stewart & Co.’s claim that EVA is the performance measure most directly linked to shareholder wealth creation, both from the empirical sense and in the Malaysian context.
Several implications arise from the study. Firstly, adopters of RI concepts as measures of performance should not expect immediate direct improvements in share returns upon recording high levels of RI. They should also consider using RI as a complementary measure to earnings and not as a single all encompassing measure of the firm, as earnings is seen as the better predictor of shareholder wealth creation. Second, consistent with prior research,our results show generally low R2s and that approximately 70% of shareholder wealth creation is explained by factors other than the performance measures. This suggests that shareholders might have to search for a different measurement paradigm altogether if they require a performance measure that is more highly correlated with shareholder wealth creatio
Residual Income versus Earnings: Which Measure is more Associated with Shareholder Wealth Creation?
No full textThis study aims to test on an empirical basis which measure, a value-based measure such as residual income (“RI”) or the traditional measure such as earnings, is more closely associated with shareholder wealth creation. Motivation for the study emanates from the increasing emphasis on shareholder wealth creation in Malaysia and interest in the value-based measures for it. It has also been encouraged by Stern Stewart’s recent claim through the Malaysian press that Economic Value Added (“EVA”), an RI concept, is the measure most directly linked to shareholder wealth creation over time. A good performance measure is seen as one which is a good barometer of shareholder wealth creation. A measure which highly correlates with changes in shareholder wealth would appeal to shareholders as it fits into their objective of maximising the value of their investment. Hence, it would be useful to know which of the two performance measures has higher correlation with shareholder wealth creation.The study involves relative and incremental information content tests, carried out by performing annual regression analysis on data covering a 5-year period from year 1999 to 2003. Sample firms comprise listed Malaysian companies which form the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index. Two forms of measures are used for shareholder wealth creation, namely,actual and abnormal share returns. Actual share return takes into account changes in the equity market value and dividends of firms. Abnormal share return refers to actual share return that is in excess of expected return, given the risk of the investment.Our results reveal earnings to be the measure more closely associated with shareholder wealth
creation. Supplemental tests indicate that cost of equity has incremental information content in explaining actual share return, but generally not with regards to abnormal return. Further extensions of the incremental tests reveal that past RIs and earnings generally do not add significantly to the information content of current RIs and earnings in explaining shareholder wealth creation. If RI is viewed as a proxy for EVA, our results contradict Stern Stewart & Co.’s claim that EVA is the performance measure most directly linked to shareholder wealth creation, both from the empirical sense and in the Malaysian context.
Several implications arise from the study. Firstly, adopters of RI concepts as measures of performance should not expect immediate direct improvements in share returns upon recording high levels of RI. They should also consider using RI as a complementary measure to earnings and not as a single all encompassing measure of the firm, as earnings is seen as the better predictor of shareholder wealth creation. Second, consistent with prior research,our results show generally low R2s and that approximately 70% of shareholder wealth creation is explained by factors other than the performance measures. This suggests that shareholders might have to search for a different measurement paradigm altogether if they require a performance measure that is more highly correlated with shareholder wealth creatio
Understanding child neglect through selected works by Jacqueline Wilson
No full textJacqueline Wilson is a former Children’s Laureate (2005-2007) whose contemporary realistic children’s novels have been
translated into over 30 languages. Recognized as the most borrowed author in the British public libraries, Wilson uses her
novels to highlight contemporary realistic issues and challenges which modern children are increasingly threatened with.
Despite selling two million books a year, in-depth analyses into her works remain scarce. The paper attempts to fill the gap by
reading three of her selected works. They are The Illustrated Mum (1999), Lola Rose (2003) and Lily Alone (2011). The
discussion charts the struggles faced by the pre-adolescent girl protagonists who are repeatedly abandoned by their mothers.
Consequently, the children live in a state of constant fear and uncertainty. The issue of child neglect discussed within these
novels is significant because it corresponds to the worldwide concern pertaining to the increasing statistics of children
victimized by parental neglect. Despite the numbers, it is believed that many more incidences occur unnoticed. Efforts to remedy
the situation is therefore hampered by the lack of co-operation between victims and the authorities due to the sense of shame and
embarrassment involved. Research has shown that children who are subjected to neglect are more likely to experience
difficulties in their cognitive, emotional and behavioural development. The study is hence an important attempt to forward
Wilson’s contemporary realistic children’s novels as useful tools to help young readers identify with and address the issue of
child neglect prevalent within the nation. Key findings of the study encompass an understanding of how the pre-adolescent girl
protagonists manage and overcome negligence. It is thereby hoped that the paper offers a viable alternative to expose and
educate children on their right of protection, leading to a sense of empowerment as they learn to seek the necessary help when
faced with similar encounters
Re-oriented Britain : how British Asian travellers and settlers have utilised and reversed Orientalist discourse 1770-2010
No full textBeginning with Edward Said's seminal text, I will question the assumption of
Orientalism as a universal and didactic discourse that was conducted exclusively
from the West to and for the East. Said's overarching condemnation of Orientalism
as an exclusively Western hegemonic structure overlooks the paradigm that Indians
were not just collaborative producers of the Orientalist text but selective readers as
well. I will argue that the contribution made by the influx of colonised people from
the periphery to the colonial centre from the eighteenth century onwards has
historically been overlooked.
Indian Orientalisms developed along their own particular axes by both utilising and
reversing Orientalisms. Through this discursive utilisation, Indians were able to
formulate responses to the dominant ideologies of Orientalism and as a consequence
created new forms of discourse, both literary and historical. My thesis aims to
illustrate that Indians, both in the colony and the metropole, were active and not
passive agents in their negotiations of colonial as well as post-colonial space. This
legacy needs to be recognised, as it continues to resonate and pose questions in
contemporary times where the success of multicultural states in an increasingly
globalised world is of paramount importance.
Generically, I have adopted non-fiction as the best form in which to convey these
hidden histories. Autobiographies, diaries, letters, memoirs and travelogues establish
the fluidity and imaginative endeavour that existed between the colony and the
metropole. These historical documents illuminate a deeply contested colonial and
post-colonial world, where colony became home and home could become the
colony. Ultimately, this project aims to identify the Orient within Britain itself and
also argue that Indian travellers and settlers have engaged in similar "Orientalising"
projects to render Britain intelligible for the Oriental mind, in ways that deconstruct
the conventional Orientalist power relations associated with not only the high
colonial period but also the pre and post colonial eras
The Effect of Neutral Peritoneal Dialysis Solution with Low Glucose-Degradation-Product on the Fluid Status and Body Composition--A Randomized Control Trial.
No full textPrevious studies report conflicting results on the benefit of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients treated with low glucose degradation product (GDP) solution. The effects of low GDP solution on body fluid status and arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) have not been studied.We randomly assigned 68 incident PD patients to low GDP (Intervention Group) or conventional solutions (Control Group); 4 dropped off before they received the assigned treatment. Patients were followed for 52 weeks for changes in ultrafiltration, residual renal function, body fluid status and arterial PWV.After 52 weeks, Intervention Group had higher overhydration (3.1 ± 2.6 vs 1.9 ± 2.2 L, p = 0.045) and extracellular water volume (17.7 ± 3.9 vs 15.8 ± 3.1 L, p = 0.034) than Control Group. There was no significant difference in PWV between groups. There was no significant difference in residual renal function between the Groups. Intervention Group had lower ultrafiltration volume than Control Group at 4 weeks (0.45 ± .0.61 vs 0.90 ± 0.79 L/day, p = 0.013), but the difference became insignificant at later time points. Intervention Group had lower serum CRP levels than Control Group (4.17 ± 0.77 vs 4.91 ± 0.95 mg/dL, p < 0.0001).Incident PD patients treated with low GDP solution have less severe systemic inflammation but trends of less ultrafiltration, and more fluid accumulation. However, the effects on ultrafiltration and fluid accumulation disappear with time. The long term effect of low GDP solution requires further study.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00966615
Sensing Alzheimer’s Disease Utilizing Au Electrode by Controlling Nanorestructuring
No full textThis paper reports the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) sensor through early detection of amyloid-beta (Aβ) (1–42) using simple nanorestructuring of Au sheet plate by oxidation-reduction cycle (ORC) via the electrochemical system. The topology of Au substrates was enhanced through the roughening and Au grains grown by a simple ORC technique in aqueous solutions containing 0.1 mol/L KCl electrolytes. The roughened substrate was then functionalized with the highly specific antibody β-amyloid Aβ (1–28) through HS-PEG-NHS modification, which enabled effective and direct detection of Aβ (1–42) peptide. The efficacy of the ORC method had been exhibited in the polished Au surface by approximately 15% larger electro-active sites compared to the polished Au without ORC. The ORC polished structure demonstrated a rapid, accurate, precise, reproducible, and highly sensitive detection of Aβ (1–42) peptide with a low detection limit of 10.4 fg/mL and a wide linear range of 10−2 to 106 pg/mL. The proposed structure had been proven to have potential as an early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) detection platform with low-cost fabrication and ease of operation
Exploring health literacy, perceived needs, information preferences and acceptability of smartphone-based messaging interventions among individuals with obstructive sleep apnoea in Hong Kong: a mixed-method approach
No full textBackground: The role of technology in disease management has gained significant attention, mobile health technology for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains underdeveloped, with limited research exploring its applications. This study explored OSA individuals’ health literacy, perceived needs for improvement, information preferences, and acceptance of smartphone-based messaging interventions.
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Methods: The study comprised two parts. Part 1 was a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey using non-probability convenience sampling conducted in the inpatient ward and outpatient clinic of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, from May to July 2020. The questionnaire assessed health literacy, perceived needs, and views on smartphone-based messaging interventions to enhance self-management of OSA. Written consent was obtained, and the survey took approximately 10 minutes to complete. Part 2 involved a focus group interview in August 2020 with nine randomly selected participants from Part 1, exploring their views on perceived needs and smartphone-based messaging interventions.
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Results: A total of 108 participants (82% men; 40.7% aged ≥60 years) were included. Participants self-reported their OSA severity as mild (21.3%), moderate (17.6%), and severe (23.1%), while 38% were unaware of their severity. The results showed low OSA-related health literacy among participants, with no significant differences by age or years since diagnosis. Most participants (76.8%) expressed a strong desire to improve their health. High demand for OSA-related information was reported, including sleep quality (83.3%), OSA-related knowledge (82.4%), weight control (81.5%), habit improvement (78.7%), and emotional management (66.7%). The messaging intervention was well accepted, with high feasibility (82.4%) and usability (72.2%).
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Conclusions: This study highlights low OSA-related health literacy and a strong demand for authoritative health information. Most found that the messaging intervention was feasible and useful in improving health-related habits and OSA management. The study underscores the need for tailored health education, personalized interventions targeting perceived needs, and innovative messaging solutions to enhance treatment adherence and self-management in OSA individuals
