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A chemoport is widely used in paediatric oncology population. Removal is a relatively easy procedure, but difficulty can be encountered in case the catheter is densely adherent to the vascular wall. It is a rare complication and is associated with long indwelling duration and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Forceful traction can lead to vascular injury and high morbidity. Herein, we report a 7-year-old girl with precursor B ALL who had delayed chemoport removal due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The removal process was difficult, as the catheter was adherent to the right innominate vein. Out of panic, the surgeon pulled it out forcefully. Fortunately, the catheter and its fragment were successfully retrieved completely and the child was discharged the next day. The management strategy varies and ranges from minimally invasive to open surgery. Leaving a stuck chemoport catheter in situ can be a bailout method or part of conservative management.

Jade Winjei Hwang,1 Shao Ju Chien,2 Chih-Chi Wang,3 Kuang-Che Kuo,4 Kuo-Shu Tang,5 Yu Lee,1 Yi-Chun Chen,6 Mao-Hung Lo,2 Ing-Kit Lee,6 Seng-Kee Chuah,7 Chien-Te Lee,8 Chia-Te Kung,9 Liang-Jen Wang10 1Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 2Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 3Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 4Division of Pediatric Infection, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 5Division of Pediatric Emergency, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 6Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 7Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 8Department of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 9Department of Emergency, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan; 10Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, TaiwanCorrespondence: Liang-Jen Wang, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, No. 123, Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Tel +886-7-7317123 Ext 8753, Fax +886-7-7326817, Email wangliangjen@gmail.comBackground: Vaccinating adolescents is a vital strategy to enhance population protection without imposing overly restrictive measures on our daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. As teenagers gain more independence, their willingness to get vaccinated may depend on their own understanding of the pandemic, vaccines, and mental well-being, as well as that of their caregivers. Our study aimed to examine how Taiwanese adolescents and their caregivers perceive COVID-19 vaccination and assess their mental health status.Methods: We invited a total of 138 vaccinated adolescents and their caregivers to complete several questionnaires, including the Drivers of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (DrVac-COVID19S), Impact of Event Scale (IES), and Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ).Results: Among the adolescents, 76.8% considered the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) as the ideal option for COVID-19 vaccination, while 27.5% of caregivers expressed acceptance of any available vaccine. Adolescents scored higher than caregivers in terms of vaccine value (p< 0.001) and autonomy (p< 0.001), but lower in knowledge (p< 0.001), as assessed by the DrVac-COVID19S subscales. The adolescents’ intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (DrVac-COVID19S total score) showed a positive correlation with their perception of the pandemic’s impact (IES scores, r=0.214, p=0.012) and their caregivers’ vaccination intention (r=0.371, p< 0.001). Furthermore, adolescents’ mental health demonstrated a positive association with the mental health of their caregiver (CHQ total scores, r=0.481, p< 0.001).Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, caregivers have encountered heightened levels of mental stress, and this stress has been found to be positively correlated with the mental stress experienced by adolescents and their intentions regarding vaccination. These findings can serve as crucial references for healthcare providers and governments when formulating vaccination policies for adolescents in the future.Keywords: adolescent, autonomy, caregivers, vaccine, psychosomatic, SARS-Cov-2

An-Che Liu,1 Wei-Chen Tai,1,2 Shao-Ming Chiu,1 Fai-Meng Sou,1 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Lung-Sheng Lu,1 Chung-Mou Kuo,1 Yi-Chun Chiu,1,2 Seng-Kee Chuah,1,2 Chih-Ming Liang,1,2 Cheng-Kun Wu1,2 1Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, TaiwanCorrespondence: Cheng-Kun Wu, Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta Pei Road, Niao Sung Dist, Kaohsiung, 833, Taiwan, Tel +886-7-731-7123 Ext 8301, Fax +886-7-732-2402, Email aasavage.tw@yahoo.com.twBackground: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), used for choledocholithiasis treatment, carries a risk of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) due to communication between the biliary system and bowel contents. However, limited data exists on this issue. This study aims to identify the risk factors pertaining to liver abscesses following ERCP lithotomy.Methods: We conducted a retrospective case series across multiple centers to evaluate patients who developed PLA after ERCP for choledocholithiasis. Data was obtained from the Chung Gung Research Database (January 2001 to December 2018). Out of 220 enrolled patients, 195 were categorized in the endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) group, while 25 were in the non-ES group for further analysis.Results: The non-ES group had significantly higher total bilirubin levels compared to the ES group (4.3 ± 5.8 vs 1.9 ± 2.0, p< 0.001). Abscess size, location, and distribution (single or multiple) were similar between the two groups. The most common pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Pseudomonas infection was significantly less prevalent in the ES group compared to the non-ES group (3.6% vs 16.7%, p=0.007). Patients with concurrent malignancies (HR: 9.529, 95% CI: 2.667– 34.048, p=0.001), elevated total bilirubin levels (HR: 1.246, 95% CI: 1.062– 1.461, p=0.007), multiple abscess lesions (HR: 5.146, 95% CI: 1.777– 14.903, p=0.003), and growth of enterococcus pathogens (HR: 4.518, 95% CI: 1.290– 15.823, p=0.001) faced a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality.Conclusion: PLA incidence was higher in the ES group compared to the non-ES group following ERCP for choledocholithiasis. Attention should be given to significant risk factors, including concurrent malignancies, elevated total bilirubin levels, multiple abscess lesions, and growth of enterococcus pathogens, to reduce in-hospital mortality.Keywords: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, pyogenic liver abscess, risk factors

This study examines gendered language use in Facebook comments by Malaysian millennial users. Textual analysis was conducted on 260 Facebook comments collected from 11 Facebook social pages. Sixty participants’ reasons for identifying the gender of the writers of 14 Facebook comments were also analyzed. The results showed that half of the participants could correctly guess the writers’ gender. The Facebook comments showed more frequent use of male than female language features. The male millennial users were inclined towards using Sexual References, Insults/Profanities, Directive/Autonomy, Strong Assertion, and Rhetorical Questions. The females, however, were inclined towards using Hedges, Polite and Emotionally Expressive Words, Interpersonally Orientation/Supportiveness, Questions, and Experience Sharing. From the participants’ perspective, male writing is short, direct, rude, negative, and crude, while female writing is lengthy, tentative, polite, positive, emotional, and reflects concern for others. The non-gender specific language features identified from textual analysis are Information Orientation, Apologies, Tag Questions, and Aligned Orientation, but different features were given by the participants (Questions, Rhetorical Questions, and Strong Assertion). The study also shows that Information Orientation, Self-Promotion, Sexual Reference, Opposed Orientation, Hedges, Apologies and Tag Questions may be falling into disuse among Malaysian millennials in Facebook comments. The findings suggest that language patterns used by Malaysian millennials deviate from conventional norms, with some comments displaying cross-gender language patterns. This indicates a blurring of conventional gender language norms in online interactions.

Food waste is a huge problem across the world, but it's especially bad in developed countries such as Malaysia, according to the previous study. It is estimated that 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted every year, accounting for one-third of all food produced for human consumption. Hence, the goal of this study is to supplement the solution within the framework of product design process based on the evaluation of food waste behaviour among household in Malaysia. As an approach for acquiring empirical data, a survey study was conducted with 52 respondents in Malaysia, including an analysis of similar existing products on the market, which was then followed by the design process. The findings suggest a multitude of design needs in preventing food waste behaviour among household in Malaysia, including the issues of the existing similar products on the market. Therefore, a few design criteria have been proposed and a set of semi-working food tracking models was successfully developed as a proposal for potential future development and production. It is hoped that the outcome of the study exhibits the synchronization of the product design process inside the smart-object dimensions in order to generate the design that helps to manage and reduce the amount of food waste created among household in Malaysia.

Pertambahan pengguna Facebook yang terdiri daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat telah menjadikan Facebook salah satu medium sumber maklumat utama dalam media sosial. Hantaran yang mendapat banyak perhatian dalam kalangan pengguna Facebook ini telah mencipta fenomena yang dikenali sebagai penularan, iaitu hantaran yang dikongsikan dengan puluhan ribu pengguna dalam tempoh masa yang singkat dan dengan cara yang lebih cepat berbanding media arus perdana. Kajian lepas telah meneliti hantaran yang tular dalam bidang perniagaan dan kebanyakan hantaran tersebut ditulis dalam bahasa Inggeris. Kajian ini pula bertujuan untuk menganalisis hantaran bahasa Melayu di Facebook yang tular dari aspek kandungan dan struktur linguistik. Melalui kaedah analisis teks, kajian ini melibatkan 100 hantaran Facebook merangkumi pelbagai topik yang telah tular dengan saiz korpus kira-kira 10,000 patah perkataan. Kajian ini merakamkan kandungan dan atribut bahasa setiap hantaran dalam jadual. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa tema utama kandungan hantaran yang tular berunsur nasihat yang berkaitan dengan topik keluarga. Bagi atribut linguistik pula, kekerapan penggunaan kata ganti nama diri adalah sangat tinggi dan dari segi gaya penulisan didapati bahawa penghujahan dan penceritaan ialah gaya penulisan yang paling popular dalam hantaran yang tular. Oleh itu, kajian ini memberikan input kepada penyedia kandungan yang bergiat aktif di media sosial untuk menghasilkan kandungan yang boleh menjangkau lebih ramai pengguna.

Paik Ling Chuah,1 Nurnina Fareeha Jamal,1 Chai Jin Siew,1 Ros Suzanna Ahmad Bustamam,2 Vaishnavi Jeyasingam,2 Khei Choong Khong3 1Department of Pharmacy, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Institute, Ministry of Health, Putrajaya, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Paik Ling ChuahDepartment of Pharmacy, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTel +60 3 2615 5834Email paik_ling@moh.gov.myPurpose: To evaluate the rate and predictors of non-adherence to imatinib in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients, as well as to compare the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between adherent and non-adherent patients.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study at the Oncology Clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur was conducted from March to August 2018. All patients with metastatic and/or unresectable GIST aged ≥ 18 years old and on at least 3 months of imatinib were included. Adherence to imatinib was assessed using the 10-item validated Medication Compliance Questionnaire, with a score of < 100% indicating non-adherence. Non-adherence predictors were determined by multiple logistic regressions. HRQOL was evaluated by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). The difference in the mean HRQOL scores between adherent and non-adherent groups was determined by multivariate analysis of variance.Results: A total of 89 patients were enrolled, of which 49 (55.1%) were considered non-adherent. The significant predictors of non-adherence were age (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.93; CI 0.89– 0.98; P = 0.007), presence of nausea and vomiting (OR 5.63; CI 1.25– 25.27; P = 0.024), and presence of comorbidities (OR 4.56; CI 1.44– 14.40; P = 0.010). Patients who were in the adherent group showed significantly better score in overall HRQOL, F (15, 73) = 2.09, P < 0.02; Pillai’s trace = 0.3, partial eta squared = 0.30.Conclusion: Non-adherence to long-term treatment with imatinib among patients with GIST should not be underestimated. Significant predictors of non-adherence among this population are younger age, presence of nausea and vomiting, as well as comorbidities. Patients with good adherence portrayed better HRQOL.Keywords: compliance, imatinib, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, quality of life

This study aims to examine which middle leaders' distributed leadership factors (cohesive leadership team, participative decision-making, leadership support and leadership supervision) are sufficient and to what degree these four factors are necessary for fostering high teacher commitment to change (TCTC). Data were gathered from 1018 Malaysian primary school teachers. The partial least squares analysis indicated positive relationships between the four middle leaders' distributed leadership factors and TCTC. The necessary condition analysis revealed that cohesive leadership team and participative decision-making are necessary and sufficient conditions for fostering TCTC. While leadership support and leadership supervision were identified as necessary conditions, they were deemed less important. This study shifts the focus from principal-centric distributed leadership to middle leaders' distributed leadership. This theoretical shift underscores the unique contributions of middle leaders' distributed leadership in driving TCTC in primary school settings by employing an expanded analytical approach.

Kuo-Tung Hung,1 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Cheng-Kun Wu,1,2 Hsing-Ming Wang,1 Chih-Chien Yao,1 Chih-Ming Liang,1,2 Wei-Chen Tai,1,2 Keng-Liang Wu,1,2 Yuan-Hung Kuo,1,2 Chen-Hsiang Lee,2,3 Seng-Kee Chuah1,2 1Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; 3Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, TaiwanCorrespondence: Seng-Kee Chuah; Chih-Ming LiangDivision of Hepatogastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123, Ta-Pei Road, Niao-Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung, 833, TaiwanTel + 886-7-7317123 ext. 8301Fax + 886-7-7322402Email chuahsk@seed.net.tw; gimy54861439@gmail.comPurpose: Non-bismuth concomitant quadruple therapy is commonly administered in Taiwan, achieving an acceptable efficacy as a first-line anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment. This study compared the eradication rates between esomeprazole- and lansoprazole-based non-bismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for first-line anti-H. pylori treatment.Patients and Methods: This study included 206 H. pylori-infected naïve patients between July 2016 and February 2019. The patients were prescribed with either a 7-day non-bismuth containing quadruple therapy (esomeprazole, 40 mg twice daily; amoxicillin, 1 g twice daily; and metronidazole, 500 mg twice daily; and clarithromycin, 500 mg twice daily for 7 days [EACM group]; lansoprazole, 30 mg twice daily; amoxicillin, 1 g twice daily; metronidazole, 500 mg twice daily; and clarithromycin, 500 mg twice daily [LACM group]). Then, the patients were asked to perform urea breath tests 8 weeks later.Results: The eradication rates in the EACM group were 86.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 77.8%– 92.2%) and 90.6% (95% CI, 82.9%– 95.6%) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and the per-protocol (PP) analyses, respectively. Moreover, the eradication rates in the LACM group were 90.1% (95% CI, 82.6%– 95.2%) and 92.6% (95% CI, 85.5%– 96.9%) in the ITT and the PP analyses, respectively. Consequently, the LACM group exhibited more diarrhea patients than the EACM group (7.1% versus 1.0%, p = 0.029), but all symptoms were mild. Univariate analysis in this study showed that metronidazole-resistant strains were the clinical factor affecting the eradications (95.3% versus 78.9%, p = 0.044). Moreover, a trend was observed in dual clarithromycin- and metronidazole-resistant strains (91.5% versus 66.7%, p = 0.155).Conclusion: The eradication rates between esomeprazole and lansoprazole-based non-bismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for first-line H. pylori treatment were similar in this study. Both could achieve a > 90% report card in the PP analysis.Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, concomitant therapy, antibiotic resistance

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTIONAn intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) is a common contraception method used for family planning. IUCD erosion into adjacent organs is a rare but serious complication of IUCD use. CASE PRESENTATIONA 41-year-old female presented to us with a leaking left ectopic pregnancy. Emergency laparotomy and left salpingectomy were performed. A copper ICUD was found intraperitoneally and part of it had completely eroded into the sigmoid colon. Sigmoid colotomy was performed and the IUCD was removed successfully. Further history revealed that the patient had her IUCD inserted 12 years previously but was forgotten. The patient was discharged well after 4 days of admission. DISCUSSIONErosion of an IUCD into the colon is uncommon and may be asymptomatic or present with bowel perforation and obstruction. There should be a high index of suspicion for pregnancy occurring among women post-IUCD insertion. A misplaced IUCD can cause chronic inflammation of the fallopian tube, which may alter tubal functionality and increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Family planning is commonly done in primary health care. Primary care education and counselling are essential to improve awareness of fertile women to prevent similar complications. Periodic examination of IUCD string either by users or primary health-care practitioners is crucial. Ultrasound can be advocated if there are difficulties with the insertion. An abdominal radiograph is useful and should be performed in the case of missing IUCDs.

This research explores the development, execution, and student feedback on a multi-themed digital escape room (ER) activity, designed for teaching medicinal chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to examine students' perceptions of the ER activity, focusing on its effectiveness in enriching students' understanding of medicinal chemistry and increasing their engagement level. Implemented in a synchronous online lecture for third-year pharmacy students, this ER activity was designed with the intention of fostering active learning and teamwork. A total of 184 students participated in various medicinal chemistry-themed challenges, using puzzles on a virtual whiteboard and breakout rooms for team discussions. The findings gathered from the post-implementation survey highlight the impactful learning outcomes associated with a replicable ER activity designed for online medicinal chemistry courses. This innovative teaching strategy not only cultivated a deeper understanding of key medicinal topics among students (mean=4.36) but also enhanced their collaborative skills through increased peer interaction (mean=3.73). They also reported higher level of engagement due to the interesting activities (mean=4.53). The quantitative results were affirmed by the qualitative feedback obtained from the open-ended questions, indicating a consistently positive learning experience and student reception towards the ER implementation. Although they encountered obstacles like stress, internet issues, and unfamiliarity with the ER format, more than 70% of the students agreed that the ER activity was a highly effective learning tool. This digital ER activity also demonstrates promise as an educational tool to encourage active learning and enhance students' motivation in learning medicinal chemistry. The study has showcased the potential benefits of integrating digital ERs into traditional teaching methods, especially for catering to the preferences of Generation Z students in a collaborative learning environment. In addition, the research offers valuable insights into the use of ERs in pharmacy education, contributing to the scarce literature on ER applications in medicinal chemistry and opening avenues for further research on ER-based educational strategies.

Background: Given the urgent need for help amongst vulnerable populations throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, civil society organizations (CSOs) and members have stepped up to provide support for impacted communities. The process of responding to these urgent needs reflects the agency and resilience of civil society members in accessing or providing resources. There is still a lack of understanding of how human agency is exercised in the context of power imbalances. Such an understanding is important not only for creating an effective and inclusive aid delivery mechanisms but also improving preparedness for future public health and economic crises. Methods: This study utilizes Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory to comprehensively map the agency landscape of aid providers and marginalized populations during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Assuming that these populations’ main goals are access to aid while providers’ main goals are to provide aid, this study categorizes the different modes of agency involved and highlights environmental facilitators and constraints for each of these groups in achieving their goals. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 34 participants. Using a hermeneutic content analysis based on a sample of 824 textual excerpts from the interviews, we explore the relationship between each component of the agency landscape to understand the relationships between them. Results: We find that marginalized populations are often unable to achieve their goals despite clear intentions to survive. Additionally, we find that proxy agency is problematic for marginalized populations and characterize why this is the case. Conclusions: Finally, we present policy recommendations which prioritise marginalized populations and their needs, while removing barriers to accessing aid.

Background: Globally, vulnerable populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent responses, such as lockdown measures and mass vaccinations. Numerous ethical challenges have arisen at different levels, be it at the policy-making level or on the ground. For example, policymakers have to contain a highly contagious disease with high morbidity using scarce resources, while minimizing the medium- to long-term social and economic impacts induced by containment measures. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in Malaysia by using an intersectional framework that accounts for overlapping forms of marginalization. Methods: This study utilizes in-depth qualitative data obtained from 34 individuals and organizations to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia. We utilize four principles of ethics to guide our coding and interpretation of the data – namely beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. We utilize a frequency analysis to roughly understand the types of ethical issues that emerged. Using hermeneutic content analysis (HCA), we then explore how the principles interact with each other. Results: Through the frequently analysis, we found that although beneficence was very prevalent in our dataset, so was a significant amount of harm – as perpetuated through injustice, the removal or lack of autonomy and maleficence. We also unearthed a worrying landscape of harm and deep systemic issues associated with a lack of support for vulnerable households – further exacerbated during the pandemic. Conclusions: Policy recommendations for aid organizations and society to mitigate these ethical problems are presented, such as long overdue institutional reforms and stronger ethical practices rooted in human rights principles, which government agencies and aid providers can then use in the provision of aid to vulnerable populations.

The emergence of chatbots and language models, such as ChatGPT has the potential to aid university students' learning experiences. However, despite its potential, ChatGPT is relatively new. There are limited studies that have investigated its usage readiness, and perceived usefulness among students for academic purposes. This study investigated university students' academic help-seeking behaviour, with a particular focus on their readiness, and perceived usefulness in using ChatGPT for academic purposes. The study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design. Data were gathered from a total of 373 students from a public university in Malaysia. SPSS software version 27 was used to determine the reliability of the research instrument, and descriptive statistics was used to assess the students' readiness, and perceived usefulness of ChatGPT for academic purposes. Responses in the open-ended questions were analysed using a four-step approach with ATLAS.ti 22. Research data from both the quantitative and qualitative methods were integrated. Findings indicated that students have the proficiency, willingness, and the requisite technological infrastructure to use ChatGPT, with a large majority attesting to its ability to augment their learning experience. The findings also showed students' positive perception of ChatGPT's usefulness in facilitating task and assignment completions, and its resourcefulness in locating learning materials. The results of this study provide practical implications for university policies, and instructor adoption practices on the utilisation of ChatGPT, and other AI technologies, in academic settings.

The most challenging aspect in petroleum industry is high produced water accompanying crude oil extraction. In modern days, environmental attention has become very significant due to large quantity of produced water. Produced water in crude oil extraction consists of a mixture of several compounds, including inorganic, organic and other elements. The elements in produced water have a wide environmental influence and sometimes cause poisonous impact on sounded area. Meanwhile, there are several techniques to treat produced water. However, a major part of produced water is an emulsion and this leads to a major problem associated with crude oil treatment and transport. At the same time, limitations in treatment techniques for produced water have been demanding researchers to investigate on demulsification techniques for several years. Researchers also noted that there are a lot of elements influencing emulsion stability and interfacial film, including asphaltenes, resins, solid particles, water and oil content, PH, etc. However, one of the techniques that has received attention in enhanced oil recovery is a chemical method by using surface active agents (surfactant). Keywords: Emulsion, Produced water, Interfacial stability, Demulsification mechanism, Surfactant

Wei-Chen Tai,1 Chih-Ming Liang,1 Kuo-Wei Bi,2 Chung-Mou Kuo,1 Lung-Sheng Lu,1 Cheng-Kun Wu,1 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Yuan-Hung Kuo,1 Chen-Hsiang Lee,3 Chih-Fang Huang,4 Chien-Ning Hsu,5 Pin-I Hsu,6 Deng-Chyang Wu,7 Tsung-Hui Hu,1,8 Keng-Liang Wu,1,8 Seng-Kee Chuah1,8 1Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Division of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Division of Family Physician, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 5Department of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 6Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 7Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 8Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan City, TaiwanCorrespondence: Seng-Kee Chuah; Chung-Mou KuoDivision of Hepatogastroenterology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123, Ta-Pei Road, Niao-Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanTel +886 7 731 7123 ext. 8301Fax +886 7 732 2402Email chuahsk@seed.net.tw; kuo51116@gmail.comPurpose: Steadily maintaining high intra-gastric PH is the major factor for successful Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) eradication. It is important to search for a stronger PPI. Dexlansoprazole MR is a dual delayed release formulation PPI taken once daily which is capable of maintaining longer duration of high intra-gastric PH. It is very effective in treating gastroesophageal disease but reports on H, pylori eradication is very rare. This study sought to compare dexlansoprazole MR-based concomitant treatment and lansoprazole-based concomitant treatment in H. pylori infection and to investigate the factors that affect the eradication rates.Methods: Two hundred two participants with H. pylori infection were included and randomly assigned to seven days of dexlansoprazole MR-based concomitant therapy (dexlansoprazole MR 60 mg once daily, clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily; DACM group) or a seven days of lansoprazole-based concomitant therapy (lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily, clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily; LACM group). The participants were asked to perform urea breath tests eight weeks later.Results: The eradication rates in the DACM group were 86.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 77.8%–92.2%] in the ITT analysis and 90.6% (95% CI: 82.9%–95.6%) in the PP analysis, respectively, as compared with 90.1% (95% CI: 82.6%–95.2%) and 92.6% (95% CI: 85.5%–96.9%) (p=0.384 and p=0.572, respectively) in the LACM group for the same analyses. The adverse event rates were 11.5% in the DACM group and 10.2% in the LACM group (p=0.779).Conclusion: As a first-line H. pylori treatment regimen, dexlansoprazole MR-based concomitant therapy attained a successful eradication rate of 90%, which was non inferior to that of lansoprazole-based concomitant treatment.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03829150.Keywords: Helicobacter pylori eradication, strong proton-pump inhibitor, dexlansoprazole MR-based concomitant therapy, lansoprazole-based concomitant therapy, antibiotic resistance

Chih-Chien Yao,1 Chung-Mou Kuo,1 Chien-Ning Hsu,2 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Cheng-Kun Wu,1 Wei-Chen Tai,1 Chih-Ming Liang,1 Keng-Liang Wu,1 Chih-Fang Huang,3 Kuo-Wei Bi,4 Chen-Hsiang Lee,5 Seng-Kee Chuah11Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; 2Department of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung and School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Division of Family physician, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 5Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, TaiwanPurpose: To assess the difference of the first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori in patients with or without type 2 diabetes (DM) and to investigate the clinical factors influencing treatment outcomes.Patients and methods: In total, 719 patients with H. pylori infection were treated with 7-day standard first-line triple therapy, of whom 182 did and 537 did not have DM. Propensity score matched at a 1:2 ratio – for age, sex and body mass index was performed for the two groups, yielding a DM group with 147 patients and a non-DM group with 249 matched controls for analysis. Urea breath test was performed 6–8 weeks after treatment. Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected for identifying factors associated with failed eradication.Results: H. Pylori was eradicated in 74.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] =66.2–81.0) of the DM group and 85.3% (95% CI =80.8–89.4) of the non-DM group (p=0.005). Of 51 gastric biopsy samples cultured for H. pylori, 41 were positive. In the DM group, the rates of resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and tetracycline were 0%, 50.0%, 50.0% and 0%, respectively. In the non-DM group, the comparable proportions were 2.9%, 17.1%, 22.9%, and 0%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that DM (Odds ratio [OR], 1.771, 95% CI, 1.167–2.668, p=0.006), clarithromycin resistance (OR, 15.273; 95% CI, 1.687–138.269; p=0.015), and amoxicillin resistance (OR, 4.672; 95% CI, 2.431–8.979; p90% eradication.Keywords: Helicobacter pylori infection, standard triple therapy

Hung-Hsien Chiang,1 Deng-Chyang Wu,2 Pin-I Hsu,3 Chao-Hung Kuo,2 Wei-Chen Tai,1 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Keng-Liang Wu,1 Chih-Chien Yao,1 Cheng-En Tsai,1 Chih-Ming Liang,1 Yao-Kuang Wang,2 Jiunn-Wei Wang,2 Chih-Fang Huang,4 Seng-Kee Chuah,1 on behalf of the Taiwan Acid-Related Disease Study Group 1Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Division of Family Physicians, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, TaiwanPurpose: Research comparing the clinical efficacy of dexlansoprazole and esomeprazole has been limited. This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy of single doses of dexlansoprazole (modified-release 60 mg) and esomeprazole (40 mg) after 24-week follow-up in patients with mild erosive esophagitis.Methods: We enrolled 86 adult GERD subjects, randomized in a 1:1 ratio to two sequence groups defining the order in which they received single doses of dexlansoprazole (n=43) and esomeprazole (n=43) for 8 weeks as initial treatment. Patients displaying complete symptom resolution (CSR) by the end of initial treatment (8 weeks) were switched to on-demand therapy until the end of 24 weeks. Follow-up endoscopy was performed either at the end of 24 weeks or when severe reflux symptoms occurred. Five patients were lost to follow-up, leaving 81 patients (dexlansoprazole, n=41; esomeprazole, n=40) in the per-protocol analysis.Results: The GERDQ scores at 4-, 8-, 12-, 16-, 20-, and 24-week posttreatment were less than the baseline score. The CSR, rate of symptom relapse, days to symptom resolution, sustained healing rate of erosive esophagitis, treatment failure rate, and the number of tablets taken in 24 weeks were similar in both groups. The esomeprazole group had more days with reflux symptoms than the dexlansoprazole group (37.3±37.8 vs 53.9±54.2; P=0.008). In the dexlansoprazole group, patients exhibited persistent improvement in the GERDQ score during the on-demand period (week 8 vs week 24; P

Leanne De Silva,1 Ju-Yen Fu,2 Thet Thet Htar,1 Saravanan Muniyandy,3 Azahari Kasbollah,4 Wan Hamirul Bahrin Wan Kamal,4 Lay-Hong Chuah1,5 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Nutrition Unit, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; 3Department of Pharmacy, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; 4Medical Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; 5Advanced Engineering Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia Background and purpose: Niosomes are nonionic surfactant-based vesicles that exhibit certain unique features which make them favorable nanocarriers for sustained drug delivery in cancer therapy. Biodistribution studies are critical in assessing if a nanocarrier system has preferential accumulation in a tumor by enhanced permeability and retention effect. Radiolabeling of nanocarriers with radioisotopes such as Technetium-99m (99mTc) will allow for the tracking of the nanocarrier noninvasively via nuclear imaging. The purpose of this study was to formulate, characterize, and optimize 99mTc-labeled niosomes. Methods: Niosomes were prepared from a mixture of sorbitan monostearate 60, cholesterol, and synthesized D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (synthesis confirmed by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy). Niosomes were radiolabeled by surface chelation with reduced 99mTc. Parameters affecting the radiolabeling efficiency such as concentration of stannous chloride (SnCl2·H2O), pH, and incubation time were evaluated. In vitro stability of radiolabeled niosomes was studied in 0.9% saline and human serum at 37°C for up to 8 hours. Results: Niosomes had an average particle size of 110.2±0.7 nm, polydispersity index of 0.229±0.008, and zeta potential of -64.8±1.2 mV. Experimental data revealed that 30 µg/mL of SnCl2·H2O was the optimal concentration of reducing agent required for the radiolabeling process. The pH and incubation time required to obtain high radiolabeling efficiency was pH 5 and 15 minutes, respectively. 99mTc-labeled niosomes exhibited high radiolabeling efficiency (>90%) and showed good in vitro stability for up to 8 hours. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study published on the surface chelation of niosomes with 99mTc. The formulated 99mTc-labeled niosomes possessed high radiolabeling efficacy, good stability in vitro, and show good promise for potential use in nuclear imaging in the future. Keywords: nanotechnology, nanocarriers, radiolabeling, drug delivery, formulation, nuclear imaging

Eliminating the risk of bugs and external decryption in cryptographic keys has always been a challenge for researchers. The current research is based on a new design that uses an Omega network-based pseudorandom DNA key generation method to produce cryptographic keys for symmetric key systems. The designed algorithm initially takes two random binary numbers as inputs to the Omega network design, generating an output of 256 symmetric keys. The Omega network uses the concept of the central dogma of molecular biology (DNA and RNA properties), including DNA replication (for DNA) and the transcription process (for RNA). The NIST test suite is applied to test the security properties of the proposed design. According to the study’s findings, the suggested design is significantly suited to achieve the NIST test security properties and passes all of the NIST recommended tests.

Background: In Malaysia, B40 communities are those with a median monthly household earning of under RM 3166. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the livelihoods of those in these areas has been severely impacted. This has increased their vulnerability to psychological afflictions and has led to a poorer perception of their quality of life (QoL) in comparison to the rest of the population. We investigated the association between perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress and their impact on quality of life (QoL) among B40 residents in a low-cost urban housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and February 2021 in the Seri Pantai housing settlement. The validated Malay versions of the depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21 (DASS-21) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life, brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were distributed to the participants using Google forms. The statistical significance of the association between subscales of depression, anxiety, stress and QoL domains were assessed using the Pearson’s correlation test. Results: Of the 180 participants, the majority were Malays (87.2%) and females (82.2%). The average scores were the highest for stress (5.66 ± 4.59) and the score in the environment domain of QoL (59.27 ± 17.23) was the lowest. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the subscales of DASS-21 and the four domains of the QoL, with the social relationships and psychological domains showing a highly significant association (p < 0.001). The strongest correlation was observed between the psychological domain and depression (r= -.520) followed by psychological domain and stress (r= -.496). Conclusion: The strongest correlation was observed between psychological domain and depression. This suggests a need to address potential devastating mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the QoL of residents in B40 communities.

For businesses that provide delivery services, the efficiency of the delivery process in terms of punctuality is very important. In addition to increasing customer trust, efficient route management, and selection are required to reduce vehicle fuel costs and expedite delivery. Some small and medium businesses still use conventional methods to manage delivery routes. Decisions to manage delivery schedules and routes do not use any specific methods to expedite the delivery settlement process. This process is inefficient, takes a long time, increases costs and is prone to errors. Therefore, the Dijkstra algorithm has been used to improve the delivery management process. A delivery management system was developed to help managers and drivers schedule efficient ways to deliver product orders to recipients. Based on testing, the Dijkstra algorithm that has been included in the nearest route search function for the delivery process has worked well. This system is expected to improve the efficient management and delivery of orders.

Polyurethanes (PUs) are unique polymers that can be tailored to suit certain applications and are increasingly used in many industrial fields. Petrochemicals are still used as the main compound to synthesize PUs. Today, environmental concerns arise in the research and technology innovations in developing PUs, especially from vegetable polyols which are having an upsurge. These are driven by the uncertainty and fluctuations of petroleum crude oil price and availability. Jatropha has become a promising substituent to palm oil so as to reduce the competition of food and nonfood in utilizing this natural resource. Apart from that, jatropha will solve the problem related to the European banning of palm oil. Herein, we review the literature on the synthesis of PUs using different vegetable oils and compare it with jatropha oil and its nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals. Given the potential of vegetable oil PUs in many industrial applications, we expect that they will increase commercial interest and scientific research to bring these materials to the market soon.

Cleaner and sustainable water production lead to the development of environmentally friendly adsorbent materials for energy-efficient, cost-effective, and cleaner water production. In this study, the biochar derived from the rice husk, wheat straw, and corncob has been used for the adsorptive removal of heavy metals, including the lead (Pb+2) and cadmium (Cd+2). The synthesised biochar was characterised by a different structural and analytical approach. The characterisation of biochar revealed the existence of the combined redox, i.e. reductive and oxidative surface functional groups along with some inert functional groups which play a significant role in donating or accepting an electron to degrade the pollutants in the wastewater. The biochar synthesised in this study was found to be amorphous, and some negligible disorders and defects have been observed in the structure of biochar. The biochar has been highly stable under harsh thermal conditions by sustaining significant weight over a temperature of 700 ​°C and also be hygroscopic. The biochar rice husk, wheat straw, and corncob demonstrated the lead (Pb+2) adsorption capacity of 96.41%, 95.38%, and 96.92%, while for cadmium (Cd+2), the uptake capacity was found to be 94.73%, 93.68%, and 95.78%. The reported biochar is a cleaner, environmentally friendly, economical, and sustainable alternative to conventional adsorbent materials.

Climate change adaptation requires communities and policymakers to be flexible in order to cope with high levels of uncertainty in climate projections, particularly of precipitation, flood magnitude and frequency, and changing human exposure and vulnerability to floods—which are even less predictable than the climate. Most of the world’s major rivers are embanked to “protect” communities from floods. Embankments—which represent a significant investment largely of public funds—are a manifestation of the professionalism of engineers and hydrologists. They are also the result of professional and political entrapment and a technological frame that grows in strength (probably non-linearly) by positive feedback to produce technological lock-in. This results in inertia in large socio-technological systems, with little incentive to adopt more adaptive and flexible solutions, including non-structural measures—such as land-use zoning—even in the face of evidence that structural measures do not always reduce damage and, in some cases, actually make it worse. Where embankment breaches are common, damage is likely to increase as climate change induces larger floods, and lock-in and path dependence increase risk. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the mitigation of floods through non-structural measures that complement embankments. The phenomena described in this paper are common in many countries.

The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationships among work overload (WO), compensation (COM), organizational identification (OI) and organization embeddedness (OE) in the context of manufacturing industry in China through social identity theory. A 37-item questionnaire was filled by 384 new generation of rural migrant workers. Data were examined through a two-stage of first-order of reflective model and second-order reflective-formative hierarchical model using PLS-SEM. The empirical results indicate that COM and OI positively and significantly predicted OE, while WO was found to have no direct effect on OE. In addition, COM positively and significantly was associated with OI, whereas WO affected OI, negatively. Further examination of the mediation effects of OI revealed that OI could fully mediate the relationship between WO and OE. Moreover, OI also had a partial mediator role in the relationship between COM and OE. The study concluded with several implications and recommendations for future research.

Hsiang Tso Huang,1 Hsin-Ming Wang,1 Shih-Cheng Yang,1 Wei-Chen Tai,1 Chih-Ming Liang,1 Keng-Liang Wu,1 Chen-Hsiang Lee,2 Seng-Kee Chuah1 1Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Niao-Song District, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; 2Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Niao-Song District, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan Purpose: To assess the efficacy of amoxicillin, tetracycline, high-dose metronidazole, and a proton-pump inhibitor for third-line Helicobacter pylori eradication. Methods: We enrolled 70 consecutive patients who had registered, failed to respond to two rounds of H. pylori eradication, and undergone endoscopy for H. pylori culture. Seven patients were lost to follow-up. Patients were treated according to the results of antibiotic-susceptibility testing reports (cultured group, n=39). Those who failed the H. pylori culture were prescribed 14-day quadruple therapy containing esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, tetracycline 500 mg four times daily, and metronidazole 500 mg three times daily (empirical group, n=24). A follow-up urea breath test was performed 8 weeks later. Results: Antibiotic-resistance rates were 79.5% (clarithromycin), 94.9% (levofloxacin), 66.7% (metronidazole), 2.6% (amoxicillin), and 0 (tetracycline). Eradication rates attained by the cultured and empirical group were 89.7% (95% CI 72.7%–97.1%) and 58.3% (95% CI 36.6%–77.9%) in per-protocol analysis (P=0.004) and 81.4% (95% CI 66.6%–91.6%) and 51.8% (95% CI 31.9%–71.3%) in intention-to-treat analysis (P=0.014), respectively. Culture-guided therapy was the only clinical factor influencing the efficacy of H. pylori eradication (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04–0.60; P=0.006). Despite the high metronidazole-resistance rate (66.7%) after two treatment failures, the eradication rate in patients with this condition was 84%. Conclusion: Empirical 14-day modified quadruple therapy is not acceptable as an alternative third-line rescue H. pylori treatment. The success rate of third-line susceptibility-guided treatment was near 90%. This report is valuable as a reminder to medical practitioners that rather than a try-and-see approach, susceptibility-guided therapy should always be considered whenever possible for patients who have undergone several treatment failures. Keywords: amoxicillin-resistance, metronidazole-resistance, empirical quadruple therapy, culture-guided therapy

Chen-Hsiang Lee,1,2 Seng-Kee Chuah,2,3 Wei-Chen Tai,2,3 I-Ling Chen4 1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Pharmacology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Objective: Platelets catalyze the development of hyperinflammation and microthrombosis and contribute to increases in accumulation of circulating platelet-leukocyte complex, the key event in the development of disseminated infection. Subjects and methods: To determine the relationships of platelet activity in diabetic patients with invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (IKLAS), a total of 175 diabetic patients with community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) bacteremia were included in this study. We compared the platelet reactivity of 40 patients with IKLAS, 40 patients with non-IKLAS, and eight healthy controls using a whole-blood flow cytometry-based assay. Results: Patients who were infected with strains expressing K1/K2 serotype (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 8.81; 95% CI, 2.18–35.53) and those with HbA1c ≥9% (AOR, 4.97; 95% CI, 1.73–14.23) were more likely to present with IKLAS, whereas those who had recent therapy with aspirin (AOR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04–0.79) were less likely to present with IKLAS. Among patients with IKLAS, patients with a poor glycemic control were more likely to present with hepatic venous thrombophlebitis than those with suboptimal or good glycemic control (P=0.03). Patients with IKLAS had a higher median fluorescence intensity of the platelet membrane expression of P-selectin than those with non-IKLAS (78.0 vs 28.0, P

Current electronic voting protocol require a centralized system to control the whole procedure from ballot inputs to result outputs and election monitoring. Meanwhile, blockchain technology provide a decentralized system which open across the whole network of untrusted participants. Applying blockchain technology into electronic voting protocol through a proper architecture can instil characteristic such as data confidentiality, data integrity and data authenticity. In this paper, we going to discuss a proposed method on how to leverage the advantages from blockchain into electronic voting protocol. This blockchain-based electronic voting protocol promise to provide a secure electronic election process given the proposed system works. We implement a protocol using blockchain to turn election protocol into an automated control system without relying any single point of entity. Lastly, we discuss the characteristics of our proposed blockchain-based electronic voting protocol in this paper. However, there are also emerging challenges and limitations awaiting to overcome. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of our proposed protocol.

Internet of Things (IoTs) are internet computing devices which are connected to everyday objects that can receive and transmit data intelligently. IoTs allow human to interact and control everyday objects wirelessly to provide more convenience in their lifestyle. The Raspberry Pi is a small, lightweight and cheap single board computer that can fit on human’s palm. Security plays a big role in a home. People concern about security by preventing any intruders to enter their home. This is to prevent loss of privacy and assets. The closed-circuit television (CCTV) is one of the device used to monitor the secured area for any intruders. The use of traditional CCTV to monitor the secured area have three limitations, which are requiring a huge volume of storage to store all the videos regardless there are intruders or not, does not notify the users immediately when there are motions detected, and users must always check the CCTV recorded videos regularly to identity any intruders. Therefore, a smart surveillance monitoring system is proposed to solve this problem by detecting intruders and capturing image of the intruder. Notifications will also be sent to the user immediately when motions are detected. This smart surveillance monitoring system only store the images of the intruders that triggered the motion sensor, making this system uses significantly less storage space. The proposed Raspberry Pi is connected with a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor, a webcam and internet connection, the whole device can be configured to carry out the surveillance tasks. The objectives of this project are to design, implement and test the surveillance system using the Raspberry Pi. This proposed surveillance system provides the user with live stream of video feed for the user. Whenever a motion is detected by the PIR motion sensor, the web camera may capture an image of the intruder and alert the users (owners) through Short Message Service (SMS) and email notifications. The methodology used to develop this system is by using the object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) model.

Login is one of the important security features in online banking. This research investigates the mechanism for an existing online banking in Malaysia including the design of the login mechanism, the encryption algorithm used for the password and the security level of the login mechanism. This research provides a result of analyzing data between five online banking in terms of their security features. These analyzing data will be used for proposing secure password encryption in online banking. The mathematic is used to evaluate the security level for these secure login applications. Output from the mathematical analysis is the probability that the adversary may break the security of login application.