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The objectives of this study are to analyze the factors of handwriting difficulties among children, the intervention strategies for handwriting problems, and the need to develop a handwriting intervention guideline for occupational therapists in the Malaysian context. The research employed individual semi-structured interviews with seven participants who offered three different sets of experiences and viewpoints, namely, the remedial school teachers', occupational therapists', and parents' perspectives. A qualitative analysis approach was utilized. Thematic analysis was applied by using an inductive approach for open-ended questions in interviews. The results were presented according to research objectives. Five themes emerged to address the factors of handwriting issues among school children. The factors are motor skills deficiency, poor motor visual skills, lack of parental support, low self-motivation, and handwriting difficulties. Four themes were derived for intervention strategies to cater for handwriting problems among school children. The themes have an emphasis on developing motor skills, increasing motor visual activities, engaging occupational therapy components, and enabling active participation from parents and teachers. Finally, there is a crucial need to produce a guideline for handwriting intervention in order to improve children's potential in handwriting skills, to provide a comprehensive guide for occupational therapists, teachers, and parents and to align practice in handwriting intervention. This study provides understanding of the factors of handwriting problem among school children and allows suitable intervention programs. Therefore, the need to develop a systematic guideline in handwriting intervention is significant, in that it would benefit the teachers, occupational therapists, and parents in the Malaysian context.

Malaysia Ministry of Education has put critical thinking skills elements into one of the six aspirations that pupils need to achieve. This was a turning point that teaching methods should be transformed. Therefore, innovation of teaching methods needs to be done. One of the strategies suggested is adventure-based learning (ABL). The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of ABL methods in the teaching of Basic Statistics on critical thinking skills. This study uses a quantitative approach with quasi experimental pre and post design. Only one group of students is formed. The study was based on the cluster sampling method and involving the semester two students of the Preparation Programme of Teaching Bachelor (PPTB). Instruments used are modules of adventure-based teaching methods and critical thinking skills tests. The findings of this study are to prove that this adventure-based learning can be used as an alternative method to assist the lecturers of the Teacher Education Institute to produce credible graduates. It helps lecturers apply the 21st century learning method in their teaching and learning.

The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a major portion of solid waste in Malaysia, with 44.5% of the total waste being food waste‐derived sources. This study investigates the performance of dry anaerobic digester (DAD) operation using the pilot dry anaerobic digester (PDAD), a plug flow reactor, in treating source‐sorted organic fraction municipal solid waste (SS‐OFMSW) for biogas production. A commercial Malaysian food waste (CMFW) sample has been used to represent SS‐OFMSW. The anaerobic digestion was performed in a semi‐continuous operation using a 15 m3 PDAD with organic loading rates (OLRs) ranging from.63 to 5.46 kg volatile solid (VS)/m3·day under mesophilic conditions. The maximum methane composition was achieved at 56.0% at OLR 5.17 kg VS/m3·day with specific methane production (SMP) of.57 m3·CH4/kg VSfed and gas production rate (GPR) 5.27 m3·gas/m3·digester·day. As indicated by a pH and alkalinity ratio, the PDAD system was stable ranging from pH 6.7 to 8.3, alkalinity ratio of.3 with an inclination of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) up to 1056 mg/L. The SMP achieved is between 1.58 and.4 m3·CH4/kg VSfed and potentially to fuelled 475 MW commercial biogas plant fed by CMFW. The DAD deployment strengthened the circular economy and decarbonization initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological progress affects many things and practices in today’s life. In addition to the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it leads to a more open and almost comprehensive use of technology. This effect also occurs in the financial aspect. The emergence of various forms of technology-based transactions also has implications for legislation and sharia. This study was conducted qualitatively through the analysis of literature and legal sources from selected countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. The study found that there is a law that has been drafted to regulate this aspect as well as a fatwa issued to lay the foundation for this transaction from a contractual point of view according to the Syariah perspective. However, further research still needs to be done considering that various forms of innovation involve transactions that have taken place and each of them requires clarification from a legal point of view as well as jurisprudence adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryopreservation is used to preserve biological samples over an extended period at ultralow temperatures. This process evolved into vitrification, a more advanced and superior technology in which fluids or water molecules form a glass-like structure without forming ice crystals. Unlike fresh cells, cryopreservation is reported to reduce oocyte viability and developmental competency. This study employed two vitrification techniques, vitrification solution (VS) and Cryotop, to investigate the meiotic resumption in bovine. Oocytes were extracted from cow ovaries collected from slaughterhouses in Banting and Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The oocytes were grouped (A, B, and B') based on cumulus morphology and matured in vitro in a culture dish (humidified 5% carbon dioxide incubator at 38.5°C) for 20 to 24 hr. Oocytes were vitrified after maturation using straws or aids of Cryotop sheets, then submerged in liquid nitrogen and stored for five days before defrosting for cryoprotectant elimination. By using Giemsa staining, the maturation state of fresh and vitrified bovine oocytes was evaluated through five parameters: zygotene, pachytene, diakinesis, metaphase I, and metaphase II. The maturation rate demonstrated only slight differences in the three groups of oocytes treated with VS (A: 44.79%; B: 30.97%; B': 20.70%) and Cryotop (A: 39.42%; B: 37.27%; B': 28.97%), which were significantly lower than fresh oocytes (A: 55.83%; B: 44.82%; B': 56.17%). Both VS and Cryotop methods were viable options for cryopreserving oocytes, but the Cryotop technique was more effective in increasing the meiotic competence of poor-quality oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of a childhood cancer diagnosis precipitates caregiver's engagement in spiritual coping. This study aimed to explore spirituality among Malaysian Muslim caregivers of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A total of 13 eligible caregivers participated in this qualitative semi-structured interview via purposive sampling. Each interview was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo 12 via thematic analysis. Three main themes revolved around hope through the act of praying and recitation (du'ā' and dhikr), acceptance of God's will (redha), and faith toward God as the Provider of sustenance (rezeki). The findings of this study contribute to a holistic supportive care system in pediatric oncology as it informs health care providers the role of spirituality in mitigating the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis and promoting psychological adaptation. As a multicultural country, future studies may explore spirituality in other cultures and religion in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sugary drink boba milk tea has seen its popularity surge in recent years. However, the overwhelmingly trending boba milk tea is categorised as a sugar-sweetened beverage due to its high sugar content. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the sugar content of four brands of boba milk tea drinks (brand A, B, C, and D) available around Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The physico-chemical characteristics of each brand were evaluated comprising the pH level, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), conductivity value, and liquid density. In addition, the glucose content in the liquid milk and boba pearls were determined using the glucometer and gravimetric analysis, which were then used to estimate the total glucose content in the boba milk tea samples. Based on the results, there were significant differences between the pH value and glucose content (p < 0.05). The pH of brand A recorded the highest value of 8.23 ± 0.03 (slightly alkaline) compared to other brands. The liquid milk of Brand A also exhibited the highest glucose content value and the highest density value (p < 0.05) with a value of 23.4 ± 0.5 mmol/L and 1030 g/L, respectively. However, brand D possessed the highest TDS content and conductivity with values of 1912 ± 36 ppm and 3825 ± 71 µS, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest glucose content in the liquid milk and boba pearls were 23.4 ± 0.5 mmol/L (brand A) and 18.1 ± 0.4 (brand B), respectively. Overall, the study estimated that brand B has the highest total glucose content (38.6 ± 0.1 mmol/L) due to the significant glucose content from the boba pearls. Surprisingly, the overall glucose content in boba milk tea (milk tea solution and boba pearl) was approximately from 2-to 5-fold more than the recommended daily sugar (glucose) intake of 8.33 mmol/L (equivalent to 50 g/day) by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Malaysia. The lack of preventive measures to curb the overconsumption of boba milk tea would cause a long-term adverse health effect on individuals and increase the rate of patients suffering from diabetic-related diseases and other noncommunicable diseases (NCD). An intervention is required instantaneously from a public health perspective to regulate the consumption of sweetened and flavored beverages that is limitless added to sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) without strict regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media has evolved into a network that helps users find information. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are now important sources of up-to-date news and information. In order to give people, the ability to assess, inform about potential threats or effects, and be aware of false information in the network, social media information literacy (SMIL) has been developed. However, that social media can have negative emotional effects that decrease in emotional quotient (EQ) among young people will directly lead to social problems like crime. In this quantitative study, Malaysian youth between the ages of 19 and 40 were examined to determine the impact of social media information literacy (SMIL) on emotional intelligence (EQ). 241 students from three universities in Malaysia who were selected through proportional stratified random sampling and simple random sampling made up the respondents. Data are gathered using a "Google Form" questionnaire and data analysis uses descriptive and inferential statistical analysis to get the results. Social media information literacy (SMIL) and emotional intelligence (EQ) were found to be significantly correlated by Pearson correlation inference analysis. The results of this study have implications for institutions seeking to develop human capital, technology, and media. Other organizations interested in exploring the field of social media information literacy (SMIL) and emotional intelligence (EQ) can use it to meet the sustainable development goals (SDG) in digital sustainability as recommended by UNESCO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rise of the aged population in Malaysia has resulted in the increased need for services, especially in terms of healthcare. Hence, continuous support is crucial to managing the daily living activities of this group. This study aimed to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of older adults residing in Malaysian aged care homes concerning daily living activities and their provision of assistance to other residents with more significant disabilities. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted on ten older adults and six staff members of two selected residential aged care homes. The interview session concerned the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of older people related to the basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). We also applied a qualitative content analysis method. Results: Three themes emerged after the interviews: (1) knowledge of older adults on BADL and IADL (highest response); (2) attitudes toward the assistance given to other residents; (3) types of assistance given to other residents and the staff. Conclusions: The knowledge, attitude, and practices related to the assistance in activities of daily living by older adults may contribute to the development of a program or module that can fulfill the needs of other residents with more significant disabilities, especially in aged care homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The present study aimed to assess metabolites heterogeneity among four major Cinnamomum species, including true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and less explored species (C. cassia, C. iners, and C. tamala). UPLC-MS led to the annotation of 74 secondary metabolites belonging to different classes, including phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, and lignans. A new proanthocyanidin was identified for the first time in C. tamala, along with several glycosylated flavonoid and dicarboxylic fatty acids reported for the first time in cinnamon. Multivariate data analyses revealed, for cinnamates, an abundance in C. verum versus procyandins, dihydro-coumaroylglycosides, and coumarin in C. cassia. A total of 51 primary metabolites were detected using GC-MS analysis encompassing different classes, viz. sugars, fatty acids, and sugar alcohols, with true cinnamon from Malaysia suggested as a good sugar source for diabetic patients. Glycerol in C. tamala, erythritol in C. iners, and glucose and fructose in C. verum from Malaysia were major metabolites contributing to the discrimination among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information on soil physicochemical properties is vital for the optimum wood biomass production in forest plantation management. The objective of this study was to determine the topsoil physicochemical properties under different Acacia mangium stand ages and their effect on the growth parameters. Five plots were established randomly within each five different stand ages. In all sample plots, the diameter at breast height (DBH) and the total height of standing trees were measured. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 to 20 cm at three random points in each plot, then mixed to get a composite before determining physical and chemical properties. DBH mean and the total height of A. mangium increased as stand age increased. The mean annual volume increment maximised at the 8.5 years old stand with 27.9 m³ ha-1 yr-1. Survival rate and stem density decreased as stand age increased. Principal component analysis (PCA) results showed that the most important soil physical properties were soil organic matter, silt and sand contents, bulk density, and moisture content. For soil chemical parameters, exchangeable magnesium (Mg), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio were the influential soil variables. Soil pH, available phosphorus (P), and clay content were negatively correlated with the growth development of A. mangium trees. Observations suggest that multiple soil variables are essential for the success of the A. mangium plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-care is defined as activities performed by individuals, families, and communities to enhance their health, prevent diseases, limit illnesses, and restore health. Previous research has mainly focused on self-care skills of older adults in either institution or residential homes separately but limited studies have compared between both these settings. This study aimed to compare the self-care skills between institutionalised and home dwelling older adults at selected area in Malaysia. A total of 43 participants aged 60 years old and above were recruited in our study; (23 participants were home-dwelled older adults and 19 participants were recruited from institutionalised older adults located in Kuala Lumpur). The Malay Version of Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (M-PASS-HOME) 4.0 was used focusing on four main subtests of self-skills; oral hygiene, trimming toenails, house mobility and shower mobility. The differences in self-care skills between institutionalised and home dwelling older adults are statistically significant (p<0.01) in the aspects of independency for all self-care activities. The results of this study revealed that home dwelling older adults group are more independent in self-care activities of oral hygiene, trimming toenails, house mobility and shower mobility compared to institutionalised group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised (CIQ-R) is a self-report standardized instrument designed to assess an individual's degree of community integration. The aim of this study was to translate, validate and conduct a reliability test of the CIQ-R Malay version. The development involved the three phases of translation, content validation and cognitive interviewing, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the CIQ-R Malay version. The Content Validity Index (CVI) showed perfect agreement between the panel experts. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) demonstrated a moderate to excellent level of test–retest agreement (ICC 0.72 to 0.93). The Total CIQ-R Malay version and Home Integration subscale showed good internal consistency, with values of Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.81 to 0.90. The findings from the present study provided preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the CIQ-R Malay version as a valid and reliable instrument to be used in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inappropriate responses towards sensory input received from the environment, also known as sensory processing difficulties (SPD) may affect daily living activities of the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sensory Processing Measure Home Form (SPM Home Form) as a parent report measure for SPD is available in English and other foreign languages. To enhance the applicability and meaningfulness of SPM Home Form for the Malay speaking population, a study that focuses on translating, adapting, and validating the SPM Home Form into the Malay language was conducted. The development of the Malay version of the SPM Home Form (SPM-MV Home Form) involved three steps: 1) Item evaluation, 2) Forward and backward translation, and 3) Expert review and content validity. The process of translation and adaptation of the form was performed according to standard guidelines. No item was excluded from the original SPM Home Form as all the items were considered by the expert panel as appropriate and relevance to evaluate the activity and social participation among children in Malaysia. Content validity as measured by 10 experts in occupational therapy is high. The mean of sub-scales I-CVI is between 0.96 and 1.00. The total S-CVI of the form is 0.95 with sub-scales S-CVI range between 0.82 and 1.00. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was reported at 0.80 and ICC for test-retest reliability ranged from 0.80 to 0.97. The SPM-MV Home Form has high potential to be used for assessing SPD among children ages 5-12 years in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyse the gambling activities in Malaysia against the backdrop of human rights and federal constitution. It instigates for effective efforts to be carried out to, at least, minimise the gambling activities, if not to stop them totally. Based on limited sources in the existing literature, this article initially identifies the definitions of gambling and its status from the perspectives of Islam and other religions. It then examines whether gambling is consistent with the very notion of freedom of religion in this country which makes Islam as its religion. Furthermore, to get an accurate perspective of this 'industry' and the laws related to it, this article analyses some selected prominent gambling companies and the existing laws followed by some recommendations for solutions. In sum, this article affirms that gambling is neither a good habit nor does it represent the culture of Malaysian people. It in fact contributes towards social ills within the society and therefore needs to be strongly combated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is a permanent form of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion that can be performed for hydrocephalus. Sterility of the CSF is an important prerequisite for permanent shunt placement. It has been hypothesised that in early stage of meningitis, ventricular CSF remains sterile. A study is conducted on the first CSF sample taken from patients suspected to have meningitic hydrocephalus. Method: A retrospective review case records of patients who had undergone external ventricular drainage (EVD) for suspected meningitic hydropcephalus in Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSAJB), Johor, Malaysia. Results: Fifty-one cases were analysed. Mean age of patients was 37.27 years old, with 64.7% of them was male. Univariate analysis revealed that the main parameters to determine CSF sterility were CSF glucose (95% CI, 0.852, 10.290, P = 0.001), CSF protein (CI 95%, 0.722, 14.898, P < 0.001), CSF gram stain (95% CI, 16.437, 0.877, P < 0.001 ) and CSF appearance ( 0.611, 6.362, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis had proven that gram stain was the main parameter in the CSF analysis (CI 95%, 16.437, 0.029, P = 0.016). No significant differences in CSF results were observed from EVD and lumbar puncture. Conclusion: The most significant parameter in CSF to determine infection was gram stain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia Ministry of Education has put critical thinking skills elements into one of the six aspirations that pupils need to achieve. This was a turning point that teaching methods should be transformed. Therefore, innovation of teaching methods needs to be done. One of the strategies suggested is adventure-based learning (ABL). The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of ABL methods in the teaching of Basic Statistics on critical thinking skills. This study uses a quantitative approach with quasi experimental pre and post design. Only one group of students is formed. The study was based on the cluster sampling method and involving the semester two students of the Preparation Programme of Teaching Bachelor (PPTB). Instruments used are modules of adventure-based teaching methods and critical thinking skills tests. The findings of this study are to prove that this adventure-based learning can be used as an alternative method to assist the lecturers of the Teacher Education Institute to produce credible graduates. It helps lecturers apply the 21st century learning method in their teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale is a tool often used to assess independence among elderly at home. Its suitability to be used with the elderly population in Malaysia has not been validated. This current study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale – Malay Version to Malay speaking elderly in Malaysia. Methods: This study was divided into three phases: (1) translation and linguistic validity involving both forward and backward translations; (2) establishment of face validity and content validity; and (3) establishment of reliability involving inter‐rater, test‐retest and internal consistency analyses. Data used for these analyses were obtained by interviewing 65 elderly respondents. Results: Percentages of Content Validity Index for 4 criteria were from 88.89 to 100.0. The Cronbach α coefficient for internal consistency was 0.838. Intra‐class Correlation Coefficient of inter‐rater reliability and test‐retest reliability was 0.957 and 0.950 respectively. Conclusions: The result shows that the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale – Malay Version has excellent reliability and validity for use with the Malay speaking elderly people in Malaysia. This scale could be used by professionals to assess functional ability of elderly who live independently in community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Gender disparities in speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) outcomes have been reported, but the literature is limited. The present study was performed to further verify this issue and determine the influence of head size on speech-ABR results between genders. Methods: Twenty-nine healthy Malaysian subjects (14 males and 15 females) aged 19 to 30 years participated in this study. After measuring the head circumference, speech-ABR was recorded by using synthesized syllable /da/ from the right ear of each participant. Speech-ABR peaks amplitudes, peaks latencies, and composite onset measures were computed and analyzed. Results: Significant gender disparities were noted in the transient component but not in the sustained component of speech-ABR. Statistically higher V/A amplitudes and less steeper V/A slopes were found in females. These gender differences were partially affected after controlling for the head size. Conclusions: Head size is not the main contributing factor for gender disparities in speech-ABR outcomes. Gender-specific normative data can be useful when recording speech-ABR for clinical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic foot disease poses a substantial problem in Malaysian diabetic population. We evaluate the clinical factors affecting minor amputation in diabetic foot disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolling patients admitted to orthopaedic wards of a single tertiary hospital for diabetic foot disease was conducted. Patients who had undergone major amputation or with medical condition above the ankle joint were not included. Clinical data were collected by measurement of ankle brachial systolic index and Semmes-Weinstein 5.07 gauge monofilament test with foot clinical evaluation using King's classification respectively. Results: The total number of patients included was 138, with mean age of 59.7 years (range 29 to 94 years old). Fifty patients (36.2%) had minor amputations. Poor compliance to diabetic treatment, King's classification stage 5, low measures of ankle brachial systolic index, sensory neuropathy, high serum C-Reactive protein and high serum creatinine are significant predictive factors for minor amputation (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Identifying these risk factors may help in prevention of minor amputation and subsequently reduce limb loss in diabetic foot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Homocystinuria is a very rare autosomal recessive disorder of methionine metabolism, leading to an abnormal accumulation of homocysteine and its metabolites (homocystine, homocysteine-cysteine complex, and others) in blood and urine. This is caused by disruption of any of the 3 interrelated pathways of methionine metabolism-deficiency in the cystathionine B-synthase (CBS) enzyme, defective methylcobalamin synthesis, or abnormality in methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). The major symptom of homocystinuria is caused by an elevated level of serum homocysteine, which is considered to adversely affect platelet function and the vascular system, leading to an increase risk of thromboembolic events particularly during anaesthesia and perioperative period. Because of the rarity of the case but potentially to be high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality, we reported our experience in the undertaking of perioperative precautions and anaesthetic management of a patient with homocystinuria. Case Report: A 7 year old Malay girl was diagnosed as a case of homocystinuria after family screening following her sister death at the age of 12 due to stroke which was related to newly diagnosed homocystinuria. She was planned for an elective right lens aspiration for bilateral ectopia lentis which was one of the common complications of homocystinuria. Proper precautions were taken to prevent perioperative thomboembolic complications by applying elastic stocking, intermittent pneumatic calf pump, heparin infusion at 4 unit/kg/h up to 24 hours postoperative and intravenous dextran 20 g (200 ml in total). Patient also was prone to develop hypoglycemia and nitrous oxide-induced neurological impairment. Therefore patient was infused with dextrose contained solution during preoperative fasting period and intraoperatively with regular blood glucose monitoring. Nitrous oxide was totally omitted as a maintenance anaesthetic gas. Conclusion: Homocystinuria is very high risk for perioperative thromboembolic complications. However with proper precautions, we managed to provide safe and successful anaesthetic managements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]