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Rationale & Objective: It is unclear whether the effect of canagliflozin on adverse kidney and cardiovascular events in those with diabetic kidney disease varies by age and sex. We assessed the effects of canagliflozin among age group categories and between sexes in the Canagliflozin and Renal Endpoints in Diabetes with Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation (CREDENCE) study.Study Design: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.Setting & Participants: Participants in the CREDENCE trial.Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to receive canagliflozin 100 mg/d or placebo.Outcomes: Primary composite outcome of kidney failure, doubling of serum creatinine concentration, or death due to kidney or cardiovascular disease. Prespecified secondary and safety outcomes were also analyzed. Outcomes were evaluated by age at baseline (Results: The mean age of the cohort was 63.0 ± 9.2 years, and 34% were female. Older age and female sex were independently associated with a lower risk of the composite of adverse kidney outcomes. There was no evidence that the effect of canagliflozin on the primary outcome (a composite of kidney failure, a doubling of serum creatinine concentration, or death from kidney or cardiovascular causes) differed between age groups (HRs, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.52-0.87], 0.63 [0.48-0.82], and 0.89 [0.61-1.29] for ages Limitations: This was a post hoc analysis with multiple comparisons.Conclusions: Canagliflozin consistently reduced the relative risk of kidney events in people with diabetic kidney disease in both sexes and across age subgroups. As a result of greater background risk, the absolute reduction in adverse kidney outcomes was greater in younger participants.Funding: This post hoc analysis of the CREDENCE trial was not funded. The CREDENCE study was sponsored by Janssen Research and Development and was conducted collaboratively by the sponsor, an academic-led steering committee, and an academic research organization, George Clinical.Trial Registration: The original CREDENCE trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study number NCT02065791.

In Malaysia, literary texts produced in English remain a challenging terrain, especially among Malay writers who must cautiously negotiate between their Malay identity, religion, and cultural globalization. For instance, Che Husna Azhari’s literary works, especially her notable short story Mariah, have received tremendous scholarly attention recently. Mariah has been criticized from several viewpoints, such as the playwright’s conscious self that forms identity and gender. Thus, using a context-oriented approach, this analysis aims to explore how the Malaysian author, Che Husna Azhari, depicts polygamous character traits in Mariah from a feminist perspective. The feminist rendering employed in this analysis could interestingly reveal how a female writer portrays the issue of polygamy. The analysis revealed that through major characters, Azhari boldly depicts Muslim masculinity, polygamous tendencies, and lust toward women, particularly in the Imam’s character. Yet, the narrative tends to mirror patriarchy in Malay society for crediting the use of religion to suppress women. This analysis could advance our understanding of how female characters are represented by a female writer within the socio-cultural and religious contexts of typical Malay society. There is a need, therefore, for modern writers to reassess the narratives of women and polygamy in literary works. This step can guide the reader’s understanding of polygamy as a hotly-debated topic as well as enlighten the public about the widespread misconceptions about women's issues in society.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disease with significant mortbidity and mortality for which early diagnosis and effective therapy are critical. Many Asia-Pacific (AP) countries still lack access to diagnostic tests and evidence-based therapies. Epidemiological data from the AP is needed to formulate regional guidelines to improve standards of care for HAE.To investigate the estimated minimal prevalence, needs and potential interventions for the diagnosis and management of HAE in the AP.A structured questionnaire was distributed to representative experts from member societies of the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI). Patient profiles and presence of diagnostic facilities/ tests, regional / national HAE guidelines and patient support groups were reported and compared.Completed questionnaires were received from 14 representatives of 12 member countries/territories, representing 46% of the world population. Overall minimal prevalence of HAE in the AP region was 0.02 per 100,000 population, with significant heterogeneity across different centres. Only half and one-third had registered on-demand and prophylactic medications, respectively. Few had patient support groups (58%) or regional guidelines (33%), and their existence was associated with availability of HAE-specific medications. Availability of C1-inhibitor level testing was associated with a lower age of HAE diagnosis (p=0.017).HAE in the AP differs from Western countries. HAE-specific medications were only registered in a minority of countries/territories, but those with patient support groups or regional guidelines were more likely to have better access. AP specific consensus and guidelines are lacking and urgently needed.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has caused hospitals to suspend routine procedures. As the world recovers, there is concern that the outcome of many diseases has been impaired. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer demography, clinicopathological characteristics and patient management at a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-COVID data were collected between January 1, 2019, to March 18, 2020, when a national lockdown was implemented, which caused the suspension of services at the breast clinic of University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). COVID data was obtained from March 2020 until June 2021. RESULTS: This study compared 374 breast cancer patients in the COVID-19 period with 382 patients in the pre-COVID period. There was no significant difference in the median (range) time to surgery between pre-COVID [45 (26.50–153.50) days] and COVID [44 (24.75–156.25) days] periods. The clinicopathological features of breast cancer showed reduction in in situ carcinoma and increase in Stage 4 diagnoses during the COVID period. There was a reduction in screening-detected carcinoma (9% vs. 12.3%), mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction (5.6% vs. 14.5%) and adjuvant chemotherapy (25.8% vs. 32.9%) in the COVID period. CONCLUSION: In this center COVID-19 caused operational changes in breast cancer management, including a reduction in reconstructive procedures and adjuvant treatment. Healthcare disruption and fear of COVID may have caused delayed diagnosis, resulting in a higher frequency of Stage 4 disease and lower proportion of in situ carcinoma during the pandemic. However, there was no delay in the time to surgery, reduction in surgical volume, or change in surgery types.

This article discusses and evaluates the challenging and complex role of nurses and midwives in providing supportive care for couples after pregnancy loss. A planned pregnancy is usually a positive experience. However, some couples may experience pregnancy loss, which causes grief. While women may be severely affected, partners’ experiences are complicated by their role in caring for the grieving woman and their own experiences of grief. Nurses and midwives experience challenges when providing care, as pregnancy loss is emotional, entangling the joyous expectation of the start of life with the sorrow of a sudden end of life.

The anatomy of stems and leaves of selected species of tribes Barlerieae and Ruellieae (Acanthaceae) was studied to assess the taxonomic significance of anatomical characteristics in the two tribes. The anatomical characters such as the outline of stems, midribs, petioles, margins, shape of epidermal cells, vascular bundles, stomata, anticlinal cells, cystoliths, aerenchyma cells, layer of wax, layer of hypodermis were observed and analysed. Type of trichomes observed on the leaf surface using Scanning Electron Microscopy and light microscope provides information of taxonomic significance to both tribes and the taxa within them. The trichomes vary from non-glandular (unicellular, bicellular, multicellular, and multiradiate) to capitate glandular. Abundance of long-stalked trichomes was recorded only in Neuracanthus aculeatus. Cystoliths of different size and position are present in epidermis, parenchyma and collenchyma in addition to oil cells in some genera. The placement of Neuracanthus among the recognized tribes of Acanthaceae is assessed using anatomical characters.

The primary purpose of this paper is to illustrate the significance of several underlying theories of organizational sustainability from a motivational perspective. This paper adopts three theories from three distinct perspectives, including the institutional or organizational perspective, the employee perspective, and the stakeholder perspective, to construct and develop strong relationships among different variables to form a research framework connecting these three perspectives with organizational sustainability. The study then suggested a conceptual model for organizational sustainability based on three theories: the institutional theory (IT), the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) theory, and the stakeholder theory (ST). Several theoretical perspectives of organizational sustainability, including IT, AMO theory, and ST perspectives of sustainability concerns, were used to explore and determine the motivational viewpoint of these theories. This study began with a review of multiple studies and an analysis of the numerous ideas driving organizational sustainability. After that, the examined studies were appraised for their evidence and inadequacies. This paper included environmental, social, and economic aspects in one comprehensive review and focused on recent studies based on IT, AMO theory, and ST from a motivational perspective. Previous organizational sustainability reviews of several theories in different sectors or industries were primarily based on resource base view theory, resource dependency theory, social exchange theory, dynamic capability theory, and so on. This study examined current changes in IT, AMO theory, and ST theory from a motivational viewpoint. Additionally, the development of organizational sustainability in the industrial arena was addressed. This paper may be used as a guide for different stakeholders, especially practitioners and policymakers so that they can set up their strategies, action plans, and policies in a way that will ensure the sustainability of their organizations.

The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as the genetic tool to monitor biodiversity has been increasing across the world, including Malaysia. Over a decade, the technique has become widely used in wildlife conservation with the technologies called next-generation sequencing (NGS). Unfortunately, as one of the top megadiverse countries, Malaysia is still behind in this field since eDNA methods outperform traditional surveys. Hence, in this study, we analyzed the paper related to eDNA studies in Malaysia, which focused on wildlife monitoring. We conducted a systematic bibliographic search and quantitative review of studies published before June 2021 from Google Scholar and Scopus database. Forty published eDNA studies were found, and each paper was classified based on five themes (species identification, diet assessment, health monitoring, resolve taxonomic, whole-genome sequencing) according to the study analysis. This study aims to identify gaps in eDNA in Malaysia, which can later be useful for future conservation actions and development by applying technology in wildlife monitoring.

As Malaysia strives to become industrialised, numerous water bodies are increasingly dumping grounds for chemicals, sewage, and pollutants. It is considered that pollutant substances are continuously channelled into water bodies and then transferred into organic and inorganic particles, nutrients, pesticides, and herbicides that directly affect the aquatic ecosystem. This paper aims to study the overview of physicochemicals properties for lake water quality in relation to Toyyib environmental assessment. Malaysian water quality assessments are based on several rules, including the National Lake Water Quality Criteria and Standard, Urban Storm Water Management Manual for Malaysia, and National Water Quality Index Standard. As a result of the transmission of physicochemical qualities, water contaminants inflict harm not only on aquatic ecosystems but also on the safe water for human use. These studies indicate the water quality measurements or parameters for assessing the water quality for the Toyyib environment and establish the list of physicochemical properties for water quality assessment on the lake. On the other hand, the methodology applied for each parameter was also studied and presented.

Background: The objective was to study the ductus arteriosus morphology in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation and its pattern in different ventricle morphology using CT angiography. Method: From January 2013 to December 2015, patients aged 6 months and below with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation underwent CT angiography to delineate the ductus arteriosus origin, tortuosity, site of insertion, and pulmonary artery anatomy. The ductus arteriosus were classified into type I, IIa, IIb, and III based on its site of origin, either from descending aorta, distal arch, proximal arch, or subclavian artery, respectively. Results: A total of 114 patients and 116 ductus arteriosus (two had bilateral ductus arteriosus) were analysed. Type I, IIa, IIb, and III ductus arteriosus were seen in 13 (11.2 %), 71 (61.2%), 21 (18.1%), and 11 (9.5%), respectively. Tortuous ductus arteriosus was found in 38 (32.7%), which was commonly seen in single ventricular lesions. Ipsilateral and bilateral branch pulmonary artery stenosis was seen in 68 (59.6%) and 6 (5.3%) patients, respectively. The majority of patients with pulmonary atresia intact ventricular septum had type I (54.4%) and non-tortuous ductus arteriosus, while those with single and biventricular lesions had type II ductus arteriosus (84.9% and 89.7%, respectively). Type III ductus arteriosus was more common in biventricular lesions (77.8%). Conclusions: Ductus arteriosus in duct-dependent pulmonary circulation has a diverse morphology with a distinct origin and tortuosity pattern in different types of ventricular morphology. CT may serve as an important tool in case selection and pre-procedural planning for ductal stenting.

This research paper provides a comprehensive literature review that thoroughly examines the definitions and different concepts of organizational sustainability. This paper also looks at how research gaps are addressed in the literature with a particular emphasis on issues of organizational sustainability. Overall, organizational sustainability, including issues and aspects related to sustainability, is discussed. Individual authors provide their perspectives on various aspects of organizational sustainability from their field research, case analysis, and creative search. It also includes a greater knowledge of how real economic activity concerns and political dynamics can inhibit decision-making related to operational or practical sustainability. Several sustainability viewpoints from around the world have provided a genuine mechanism for organizations to increase their financial success while minimizing their impact on the environment and society. This study urges that knowing an organization's ability to change and self-regulate on critical issues for long-term sustainability can help solve the socio-ecological dilemma. This study shows how firms approach sustainability and what fundamental issues still need to be resolved. The research has provided novel and unusual insights into the factors contributing to organizational sustainability. Additional value is generated by estimating progress toward the idea of organizational sustainability, identifying impediments, and analyzing various real-world examples of measures to enhance advancement toward that concept.

This article investigates the appearance of a defined form of masculinity within various aspects of identity in the Muslim and Malay communities in Southeast Asia. This appearance enables for a multilayered understanding of masculinity and hegemonic masculinity which is reinforced by various institutions that fosters and defines the various components of identity. This is by itself a source of tension for men both for the expectations and performance of masculine roles as well as the struggle for a coherent masculinity despite the tensions from the different aspects of identity. Additionally, this article further posits that the very existence of masculinity in these various overlapping aspects presents an opportunity for obscurity by design for the purposes of mystifying masculinity, its functions and ultimately its authority in various institutions and situations. Therefore, the resulting tension and difficulty in defining masculinity on its own terms is the result of this purposeful obscurity where definition, enforcement, policing, and the construction of meaning can only be done through understanding the intersectional location of masculinity. To attempt to dissect this, the article explores masculinity via the following threads, where do we explore the tenets of hegemonic masculinity and the ‘normal’ man? Where are roles and definitions of masculinity obscured by design? And the following debate around the crisis of masculinity.

In Malaysia, our knowledge of freshwater ecosystem and its aquatic inhabitants, particularly freshwater fish, remains inadequate, even in protected regions. It is essential to understand the composition of freshwater fish, their distribution along river gradients, and their interactions between environmental variables to develop and strategize effective conservation and management plans. Consequently, an investigation into freshwater fish assemblages in three rivers draining off from the western part of Endau-Rompin Landscape was conducted in 12 established substations. Sampling sessions were conducted from September to December 2021 in the Labis district of Johor, using multiple sampling methods along 200 meters for each substation. The environmental variables were measured using water quality parameters. A total of 66 species were collected. The family Cyprinidae presented the highest species diversity (17 species), constituting 52% of total capture. Crossocheilus obscurus was the most dominant species, and the highest species richness was recorded in the Segamat River (45 species), followed by Juaseh (36 species) and Labis River (34 species). It was discerned that the composition of fish varied between the substations. The knowledge presented here is the first documentation on the freshwater fish from these rivers. It would serve as a baseline information for key authorities and stakeholders to conserve the biodiversity inhabiting freshwater ecosystems in Malaysia.

The development of media technology became a key element in constructing social realities. This study analyses the process of mediatization in contemporary youth culture and how social media has played a role in creating the mediated world. Aiming to explore the mediated world of Korean Wave female fans in Malaysia using the perspective mediatization and culture. This study was conducted using qualitative research and a netnography was conducted due to the movement control orders or locked downs that took place in many countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study was conducted on events that took place on the Internet. This study shows social media as a catalyst in connecting fans with the social phenomenon and it has allowed fans to create their own mediated world and online community. The mediazation process bring fans and celebrities closer to each other with information on the Korean Wave obtained without interruption and filtering. Social media had led to negotiation creations of social reality, the empowerment of groups involved and these groups participation in the evolution of the Korean Wave becomes an essential part of the phenomenon.

Pulau Tinggi is a relatively unexploited island located in the middle arc of the Seribuat Archipelago in Johor, Malaysia. This study is the first to record species of moths and butterflies (Order: Lepidoptera) on the island. Specimens were collected between April and August 2019 through passive sampling methods such as light and baited traps. Active sampling was also done opportunistically using aerial nets. The results showed that Lepidopteran on the island has a high species richness and abundance. A total of 624 individuals from 121 species of Lepidoptera were identified. Out of that, 105 species were butterflies and 16 were moths. The Shannon-Weiner Index (H’) value for both butterfly and moth was 4.29. Evenness, measured using Shannon Equitability Index (EH) was valued at 0.89. Gauging the diversity of fauna in a relatively unexplored island such as Pulau Tinggi is important for properly managing its natural resources. In the near future, activities such as entomotourism may be done in the area to support the local economic ecosystem while ensuring the conservation of the island’s biodiversity.

Understanding the feeding ecologies of birds is a crucial part of conservation purposes. Scholars interpreted terrestrial birds in many journals, yet studies on waterbirds, primarily shorebirds were poorly understood along the Peninsular Malaysia coastal line. Most researchers only record species presence and very few studies were previously conducted on feeding ecologies. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the feeding ecology of the birds in a selected microhabitat in Pulau Tinggi from March until August 2019. The study used mist-netting and direct observation techniques with a video camera and binoculars. A total of 39 species of birds comprising 24 families were censused. Seven feeding guilds were successfully identified. Carnivores dominated the highest species composition with 28%, followed by insectivores at 21%, frugivores and omnivores at 15% each, carnivore-insectivores and frugivore-insectivores at 10% each, and granivorous with 5%. From the analysis, we found no significant difference between the feeding guild and birds’ location of birds’ feeding preferences in forest and coastal zones (z= -1.1, p= 0.31). Understanding the feeding ecology of the birds in a specific ecosystem is vital to understand how the birds exploit their resources and utilize the environment to avoid competition and thus sustain in that ecosystem.

The recent discoveries of smuggling non-halal meat within the halal meat industry have impeached the reliability of the existing legal framework governing the import of halal meat to Malaysia. The existing halal legal framework that is scattered and non-unified contributed to the uncertain jurisdiction of multi-authority that controls the import of halal meat, lack of coherence, over-regulation, and inadequate regulatory activities. Thus this study aimed to examine the conceptual framework of unified legal control of halal meat import in Malaysia. This study adopts a qualitative method utilizing doctrinal research where data is gathered using documentation methods from books, journal articles, reports, and online data-based. The data gathered are analyzed using a document and content analysis approach. The finding shows that a more effective unified legal framework should replace the current scattered and non-unified legal framework. The unified legal framework may assist in identifying the role of each agency to avoid duplication of effort, consolidation of resources, and finding measures that help improve coherence among these agencies.

A non-volant small mammal survey was conducted at Pulau Tinggi between July and September 2019. This study aimed to provide baseline data for non-volant small mammals in Pulau Tinggi by setting 55 cage traps and 20 pitfalls for 44 trapping nights. A total of 20 individuals of non-volant small mammals were documented, representing five species from three families: Soricidae, Sciuridae and Muridae. The Rajah spiny rat (Maxomys rajah) and the Red spiny rat (Maxomys surifer) were the most abundant species (n=6) of non-volant small mammals in Pulau Tinggi. The Malayan field rat (Rattus tiomanicus) was the least species (n=1). The Malayan shrew (Crocidura malayana) is the only shrew recorded on the island. The analysis of similarities between our study site and other Malaysian islands reveals that Pulau Tinggi shares more similarities with Pulau Pangkor and Pulau Perhentian than Pulau Tioman. The small mammal richness on Pulau Tinggi is relatively low compared to other islands, most likely due to the study site’s limited coverage and time constraints. Long-term monitoring is required to determine the true diversity of species and distribution of small mammals on Pulau Tinggi.

Macaca fascicularis is one of the most common primates found in Malaysia; however, they are under-appreciated and under-studied, especially in the taxonomic field. The subspecies M. fascicularis laeta was previously hypothesized to be distributed in Pulau Tioman and Pulau Tinggi. Thus, in this study, we aim to verify the phylogenetic position of long-tailed macaque in Pulau Tinggi through a molecular approach based on the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA using Neighbour-Joining (NJ), Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference. Three samples were successfully analyzed with a 99% bootstrap value in NJ, 99% bootstrap value in MP and 1.00 posterior probability in Bayesian Inference for Pulau Tinggi’s clade. The phylogenetic analysis concluded that Pulau Tinggi’s population is similar to the mainland population, which is the subspecies M. f. fascicularis, with an estimated time of divergence at ~0.299 million years ago. Overall, this study generally provides baseline data to aid in the future translocation process and conservation management of M. fascicularis in Pulau Tinggi and Malaysia.

There is still a lack of data on the species presence of sea cucumbers in Pulau Tinggi, Johor. Therefore, this study aimed to document the species checklist of sea cucumbers (Phylum Echinodermata: Class Holothuroidea) in Pulau Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia. The live sea cucumbers were collected for approximately two months from August 2019 to September 2019 during low tide. A total of ten species of sea cucumbers representing one order and two genera were documented. Among the total number of sea cucumbers collected from Pulau Tinggi, five species were under the Holothuria while another five belonged to the genus Stichopus. In Pulau Tinggi, Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota (Brandt, 1835) was found to be the most prevalent species as it was documented and observed at all sampling sites. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews involving 15 respondents were incorporated during the data collection to obtain more information about the sea cucumber species. This study has contributed to the latest update on the list of sea cucumber species in Pulau Tinggi, as well as more updates related to the benefits of the sea cucumber to the residents, the environmental issues, the management and the conservation of sea cucumber in Pulau Tinggi.

Updating the status of coral species composition is important for long-term reef ecosystem management. The present study aims to determine the species composition of scleractinian hard and soft corals in the shallow water areas of Pulau Tinggi, Johor. About 1,494 coral colonies were surveyed at two selected reef sites: Kampung Pasir Panjang (Site A) and Kampung Sebirah Kecil (Site B). With images of close-up coral corallites, 41 species belonging to 24 genera and 10 families of corals were identified with genera Goniastrea, Porites and Montipora predominantly found in the study area. Overall, the data presented in this study helps to update the current species composition of corals in the marine protected area of Pulau Tinggi.

Avitourism contributes to environmental conservation, developing education and awareness towards the environment, and promoting the involvement of local people in the ecotourism industry. However, avitourism study in Malaysia is still scarce, especially on the island. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential of avitourism in Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor. We conducted a census on avian species using mist-netting and direct observation in Pulau Tinggi from March until August 2019. Birding hotspots and important bird species were determined according to the criteria of a good nature tourism product. Questionnaires were distributed to the resort staff, local people and tourists to see the potential of avitourism in Pulau Tinggi. A total of 39 bird species and six birding hotspots were identified. Besides that, bird species that complied with the criteria of good nature tourism products such as endemism, rarity, reliability of sighting, morphological attractiveness, linkage to the local culture, behavioural enticement and safety were also identified. Most respondents agreed that Pulau Tinggi has a high potential to be developed as an avitourism spot in Johor. Establishing a proper birding hotspot and determination of important bird species is essential to highlight the potential of avitourism on the island of Johor, especially Pulau Tinggi.

A series of bat surveys took place in Pulau Tinggi from July 2019 to September 2019. A total of 242 individuals representing 15 species from six families were captured from a cumulative effort of 462 trap nights. The most caught species for frugivorous bats was Cynopterus brachyotis (n = 150) while for insectivorous bats, it was Hipposideros cervinus (n = 20). Pulau Tinggi has a high density of bat species per area (1.01 sp/km2) when compared to other tourist islands on Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast [e.g., Pulau Tioman (0.13 sp/km2), Pulau Perhentian (0.5 sp/km2) and Pulau Redang (0.4 sp/km2)]. As a result, high levels of disturbance such as tourism and habitat loss may negatively affect the diversity of bat species on the island. Because of time constraints and the study did not cover the entire island, information on the diversity of bats in Pulau Tinggi is still inadequate. Long-term monitoring of bat diversity covering forest areas throughout the island needs to be conducted immediately to identify the number of species, their distribution and ecology. This information is important in formulating a strategic plan for bat conservation in Pulau Tinggi.

Being surrounded by many islands, Malaysia is blessed as it may own an endemic, endangered and migratory species in its islands. Pulau Tinggi is one of the islands located in Southeast Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the biggest islands in Johor, Malaysia. However, the avifauna has not yet been documented in Pulau Tinggi. This paper discusses the first record of the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) in Pulau Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia. Nicobar pigeons were recorded in camera traps installed around the island from June to October 2019. Besides the Nicobar pigeon, our camera traps also recorded another five avian species, which are the Emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica), White-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), Changeable hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus), White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and Grey-headed fish-eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus). The record of the Nicobar pigeon is exceptional as this species is restricted to small islands and absent from the mainland. It has unique behaviour and enticing morphology. This species is globally threatened and has recently been declared an endangered species. Nicobar pigeon’s discovery proved a high potential to develop ecotourism or a key site for avian conservation in Pulau Tinggi.

Cephalopods are one of the protein sources in fisheries and their unique look inspires humans in many aspects from arts to engineering. However, there was a lack of studies on cephalopod species presence and genetics in Malaysia especially in the waters of Johor. Therefore, this study aimed to document the species checklist of coastal cephalopods in Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor. The sampling was limited to the coastal area of Kampung Tanjung Balang, Pulau Tinggi. The specimens of cephalopods were obtained through handpicking (for the octopus) and from the local people (for the squids). In this study, the initial species identification of the cephalopod specimens was done based on their morphological characteristics. Their tissue samples were then prepared for DNA sequencing for further species identification using cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequences. The morphological identification and the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis results suggested their species status as Octopus laqueus, Sepioteuthis lessoniana and Uroteuthis (Photololigo) chinensis. In conclusion, this study has contributed to the latest update on the checklist of cephalopod species in Pulau Tinggi. Furthermore, adding the COI gene sequences of the local cephalopods in the GenBank database (Accession No.: MN711655-MN711658) will act as a new resource for future research on cephalopod species.

Species assembly of insects in Pulau Tinggi was extensively studied to obtain the first checklist of insect fauna on the island. Samples were collected from forested areas in Pulau Tinggi on three occasions (20-30 April, 1-10 May and 20-30 June 2019). Various sampling methods were used, including pitfall trap, light trap and active collection using sweep net and forceps. The specimens were dried and curated for identification. A total of 41 families from ten orders of insects representing 90 species and morphospecies were identified. Coleoptera was the most dominant order with 14 families, followed by seven families from the order Hemiptera, three from Hymenoptera, four from Orthoptera, three from Odonata, three from Diptera, two from Blattodea, one from Mantodea and one family from order Phasmatodea. This first inventory study has shown that this relatively unexploited island possesses many insect species. Hopefully, this data will assist policymakers and governing bodies, particularly the private landowners and Johor State Government in making conservation management decisions in the future.

Since there was a lack of study on the diversity and genetics of marine fishes in Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor could be found to date, this study was conducted to provide a baseline data of species checklist of marine fishes in Pulau Tinggi and to obtain DNA barcodes of the fish specimens using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Sample collection in this study was conducted starting from July to August 2019. Spinning rod (angling), hand-net (manual sampling) and gillnet (mid-water column) were used as sampling methods in this study. All specimens obtained in this study were first identified based on morphological features, followed by a molecular approach for unidentified individuals. The morphological and molecular classification proved that all 183 individuals of marine fishes obtained in this study belonged to 83 species, 58 genera, 36 families, 9 orders and 2 classes. Among 83 species obtained in this study, 74 (89%) possess important values for human use. According to IUCN Red List online platform, 22 species are classified as Not Evaluated (NE), one species is classified as Data Deficient (DD), 56 species are classified as Least Concern (LC), three species are classified as Near Threatened (NT) and the remaining one species is classified as vulnerable (VU). A total of seven bidirectional CO1 barcode sequences were obtained from seven species, six genera and six families. All the sequences obtained have significant E values, which were zero, with percent identity values being more than 98% and query coverage values being more than 89%. The blast results for all the sequences provided correct identification until the species level. For future research, this study has updated the latest checklist of marine fishes from Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor, Malaysia.

Island ecosystem is a fragile ecosystem affected by an ocean climate, which resulting different microclimates, floristic composition and unique habitats. The island’s insularity resulted in the unique composition of animal species, especially reptiles which depend most on the microclimate. Hence, a study on reptile diversity was carried out in Pulau Tinggi, Mersing, Johor from February to October 2019. A previous survey of reptile diversity in Pulau Tinggi was conducted in 2003 and 2006, which recorded 13 and 17 species, respectively and there is an urgent need to update these data. This study used the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) and drift-fenced pitfall traps as the primary sampling methods. 21 species were recorded, which comprise eight families. The Scincidae family recorded the highest number of species, which is five. Meanwhile, Viperidae and Varanidae reported the lowest number of species recorded, one species, respectively. 13 species were reported as new records for Pulau Tinggi, resulting in updated reptile diversity in Pulau Tinggi currently to 32 species based on a comparative literature review with previous studies. These new records indicate that extensive and intensive studies are needed to determine the reptilian diversity in Pulau Tinggi for conservation and management purposes.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of combined phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) placement and microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) in adult patients with concomitant cataract and vitreoretinal disease. Methods: A consecutive series of patients with comorbid vitreoretinal disease and cataract who had combined phacoemulsification with IOL placement and MIVS was retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome measures were visual acuity (VA) and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: The analysis comprised 648 eyes of 611 patients. The median follow-up was 26.9 months (range, 12-60 months). The most common vitreoretinal pathology was intraocular tumor (53%). The best-corrected Snellen VA improved from 20/192 at baseline to 20/46 at the 12-month follow-up. The most frequent intraoperative complication was capsule tear (3.9%). The most common postoperative adverse events after 3 months of follow-up (mean, 24 months) were vitreous hemorrhage (3.2%) and retinal detachment (1.8%). No patient developed endophthalmitis. Conclusions: Combined phacoemulsification with IOL placement and MIVS is a safe, effective technique to manage a broad range of vitreoretinal diseases in patients with significant cataract.

Several tendons can be used as autografts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and the choice often depends on the surgeons’ preferences. The quadriceps tendon is a commonly used autograft. This study presented, for the first time, the morphometry of the harvestable area of the QT using a simple tracing method. Adult cadavers of South Africans of European Ancestry were carefully dissected to expose the tendon. Then the tendon outline (premarked to enhance visibility) was then traced on a firmly secured wax paper which assumed the curvature of the tendon in situ. The tracing was then scanned (with its inscribed scale bar) and the morphometrics were measured on the digitized images using an imageJ software. The limb length was also measured in order to normalize all the measurements. Despite the observable difference in the surface area of the quadriceps tendon in each individual, there was no significant difference. For the other measurements, there were no side or sex differences except for the straight distal width which is sexually dimorphic. Some paired parameters showed a strong correlation but the correlation between the limb length and other measurements was weak. These data will be useful for pre-operative planning of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and will shed more light into the usability of the quadriceps tendon as a graft with respect to healing at the donor site and the return of knee function.

The history of the development of Islam in Malaysia is closely related to the involvement of the Arabs who played a significant role in spreading Islam in the country. However, not many people know the story of their involvement in dakwah activities and religious administration in this country. Thus, this paper attempts to spotlight the involvement of Arab Sayyid descent propagating Islam in the country since their arrival until the middle of the 20th century AD. This qualitative study analyzed a review of the works of literature and primary sources from archival material. Findings showed that the Arab Sayyids involved in missionary spreading Islam and also in religious administration in several Malay states like Johor, Terengganu, Pahang and Kedah. ABSTRAK Sejarah perkembangan Islam di Malaysia berkait rapat dengan penglibatan orang Arab yang berperanan penting dalam menyebarkan Islam di Malaysia. Namun, tidak ramai yang mengetahui sejarah penglibatan mereka dalam aktiviti dakwah dan pentadbiran agama di negara ini. Justeru, makalah ini cuba mengetengahkan penglibatan Arab keturunan Sayyid dalam mengembangkan syiar Islam di negara ini sejak kedatangan mereka hingga pertengahan abad ke-20 Masihi. Kajian kualitatif ini menganalisis tinjauan literatur dan sumber primer daripada bahan arkib. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan orang Arab keturunan Sayyid turut terlibat dalam dakwah Islam serta pentadbiran agama di beberapa buah negeri Melayu seperti Johor, Terengganu, Pahang dan Kedah (98 perkataan).

this research provides an insight into American women's lives and the historical incidents in the nineteenth century. Within the nineteenth century, there was absence of equality between women and men. In nineteenth-century society, men were accepted to be stronger than ladies, both physically and mentally. This research strengthens the existing theory about women's writing. It can also be used as a starting point in further research to obtain more perfect women's writing research results. Via a context-oriented technique, our research plans to investigate the effective ways through which Ruth fought against patriarchal society to achieve her freedom and her dreams from feminist theoretical viewpoints. According to the analysis, Ruth Hall is the public expression of rage by a feminist and is used as a political-strategic instrument. She believes that God gave women the right to be intelligent and acquire talent so that, as Fanny Fern has, they should be able to use this ability by writing. The novel was willing to clarify how some females were able to resolve the injustice they were left with.

The shift of educational activities to the online environment due to the outbreak of Covid-19 has generated contentions regarding the effectiveness of social media in developing language proficiency. Also, determining appropriate social media platforms becomes essential. This study, therefore, aims to examine the differences in EFL learners’ development of different language skills across various social media platforms. The study adopted an online descriptive survey in which a self-develop questionnaire was used as a data-collection tool. The respondents comprise a randomly selected sample of 80 students from the first and second levels of the English undergraduate program at a Jordanian university. The data were analyzed using a non-parametric method consisting of Chi-square test and frequency statistics. According to the findings, EFL learners tend to develop reading skills, vocabulary, and pronunciation through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube respectively. Additionally, significant differences exist in language proficiency development across social media platforms. This study is expected to provide useful information to educators in choosing the most appropriate platforms to supplement their instructional efforts based on learners’ needs.

The optimal management of functionally univentricular hearts with a significant unbalanced pulmonary blood flow is unclear. The role of cavopulmonary shunt in the rehabilitation of hypoplastic pulmonary arteries is limited. Intrapulmonary artery septation is a technique, wherein a systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt provides an additional source of blood flow to rehabilitate the hypoplastic pulmonary artery. We report a case of functionally univentricular heart with hypoplastic left pulmonary artery following a cavopulmonary shunt in whom intrapulmonary artery septation resulted in adequate growth of the left pulmonary artery.

Given the neuroprotective effects of trans-resveratrol (RV), this study aimed to investigate the involvement of the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) in RV-mediated neuroprotection in a rat intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) model induced by intrastriatal injection of collagenase. Rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) control, (2) sham-operated, (3) ICH pretreated with vehicle, (4) ICH pretreated with RV, and (5) ICH pretreated with RV and the A1R antagonist DPCPX. At 48 hours after ICH, the rats were subjected to neurological testing. Brain tissues were assessed for neuronal density and morphological features using routine and immunohistochemical staining. Expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), caspase-3, and RIPK3 proteins was examined using ELISA. A1R, MAPK P38, Hsp90, TrkB, and BDNF genes were examined using RT-qPCR. RV protected against neurological deficits and neuronal depletion, restored the expression of TNF-α, CASP3, RIPK3, A1R, and Hsp90, and increased BDNF/TrkB. DPCPX abolished the effects of RV on neurological outcomes, neuronal density, CASP3, RIPK3, A1R, Hsp90, and BDNF. These data indicate that the neuroprotection by RV involves A1R and inhibits CASP3-dependent apoptosis and RIPK3-dependent necroptosis in the perihematoma region; this is likely to be mediated by crosstalk between A1R and the BDNF/TrkB pathway.

The status of women in society is often overlooked and defined only through the presence of men. This situation tends to exclude women from socio-cultural, economic, and political contributions to society, which can be reproduced in literary texts. In particular, Fanny Fern’s Ruth Hall (1855) reflects the miserable position of women in 19th century America and demonstrates that women must resist manhood’s power to achieve a certain ontological sense in life. Via a context-oriented technique, our analysis aims to explore the practical means through which Ruth, the protagonist of Fern’s Ruth Hall, resists domesticity to achieve self-realization and social freedom from feminist theoretical viewpoints. According to the analysis, Ruth resists domesticity through events, endurance, self-reliance, and in terms of language. Despite social standards, Fern’s representation of Ruth’s financial success highlights how women can surpass gender boundaries. Fern’s depiction of Ruth further demonstrates how the writings of female authors offer a distinct viewpoint on their place in history. It was envisaged that this analysis could advance our understanding of women’s lives in patriarchal societies from feminist theoretical viewpoints.

This study, known as PERKASA Intervention, is a psychotherapy intervention towards parents of children with leukemia, implemented in one of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Kuala Lumpur, and has been conducted by a Medical Social Worker. This Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) is a sequel study adapted from a pilot study that has been done previously. This intervention consists of four sessions with 60 minutes per session emphasizing emotional, rational thinking, cognitive, and behavior. A total of 60 samples are selected using purposive sampling, and a 1:1 ratio has been used at randomized stages. A total of 30 participants were placed in the Experimental Group (EG), while the remaining 30 participants were placed in the Control Group (CG). All the participants were approached by the researcher with rigorous monitoring by Pediatric Oncology/Hematology and cooperation from two Chief Nurses. Participants from EG have been assessed three times; pre-intervention (T1), mid-intervention (T2), and post-intervention (T3), meanwhile CG participants were assessed just at the post-intervention (T2a) and compared with EG. This study used chi-square, multivariate ANOVA repeated measures, and independent samples t-test to analyze the intervention interactions. Intent-to-treat analysis shows no significant correlation and no significant differences between remaining participants and participants who withdrew from the study. At pre- to mid-intervention in EG shows no significant changes, except in emotional-focus; the pre- to post-intervention assessment shows significant changes in anxiety, problem-focus, and emotional-focus. Comparison between two groups tested at post-intervention assessment reveal that all variables show significant differences, except in depression level. This PERKASA Intervention successfully overcame the emotional and psychological distress and enhanced coping strategies used among parents of children with leukemia at post-intervention. Recommendations for a future study to be performed in a larger scale of participants and should be done over a long period of time.

Background:CT is an accepted non-invasive imaging tool to assess the coronary arteries in adults; however, its utilisation in children is limited by high heart rate and lack of standardised protocol. We sought to assess diagnostic quality and factors that affect image quality of CT in assessing coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki patients less than 18 years of age.Methodology:CT coronary angiography was performed on patients with Kawasaki disease diagnosed with coronary aneurysm or suspected to have coronary stenosis. Studies were performed using electrocardiogram-gated protocols. General anaesthesia was used in patients who were not cooperative for breathing control. Heart rate, image quality, and effective radiation dose were documented.Results:Fifty-two Kawasaki patients underwent CT coronary angiography to assess coronary artery lesions. Median heart rate was 88 beats per minute (range 50–165 beats/minute). Image quality was graded as excellent in 34 (65%) patients, good in 17 (32%), satisfactory in 1, and poor in 1 patient. Coronary artery aneurysm was found in 25 (bilateral = 6, unilateral = 19, multiple = 11). Thrombus was found in 11 patients resulting in partial and total occlusion in 8 and 3 patients, respectively. Coronary stenosis was noted in 2 patients. The effective radiation dose was 1.296 millisievert (median 0.81 millisievert). Better diagnostic imaging quality was significantly related to lower heart rate (p = 0.007).Conclusion:Electrocardiogram-triggered CT coronary angiography provides a good diagnostic assessment of coronary artery lesions in children with Kawasaki disease.

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The topic of complaint management is receiving more and more attention in both practise and research, particularly the public complaint. Service delivery that meets the needs of its customers has become one important indicator that determines the quality of governments’ services. This paper presents an analysis of public complaint managed by the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) of Malaysia; a specialised body that handles public complaints. This paper aims to analyse the effectiveness of complaint management system in managing public complaint and provide recommendations. Through this analysis, the performance of PCB has showed significant role in managing public complaint through the continuous improvement of complaint management system to achieve improved service delivery.

The prediction of subsurface properties such as velocity, density, porosity, and water saturation has been the main focus of petroleum geosciences. Advanced methods such as Full Waveform Inversion (FWI), Joint Migration Inversion (JMI) and ML-Rock Physics are able to produce better predictions than their predecessors, but they still require tedious manual interpretation that is prone to human error. The research on these methods remains open as they suffer from technical limitations. As computing resources are becoming cheaper, the use of a single deep-generative adversarial network is feasible in predicting all these properties in a completely data-driven manner. In our proposed method of multiscale pix2pix applied to SEG SEAM salt data, we have managed to map from one input, which is seismic post-stack data, to several outputs of reservoir and elastic properties such as porosity, velocity, and density by using only one trained model and without having to manually interpret or pre-process the input data. With 90% accuracy of the results in the synthetic data testing, the method is worthy of being explored by the petroleum geoscience fraternity.