Repository@USM
Welcome to closed access digital repository of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
This repository contains multiple types of scholarly materials, especially USM theses and exam papers.
To access the full text, please log in with your USM email account.
Research outputs
6485
Projects
0
People
0
Recent Additions
- PublicationExploring Teachers’ Pedagogical Integration Of Ict And Learner-Centred Teaching Approaches In Teaching Listening Skills In China(2025-05)This qualitative study explores teachers’ pedagogical integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and learner-centred teaching (LCT) approaches to teaching listening skills in China. the study identifies thatpedagogical reasoning and institutional reasons influence the integration process.
- PublicationTreatment outcome of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) among chronic hepatitis B patients: A retrospective review in Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ)(2022)Background: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is among the high barrier nucleotide analogue currently preferred as first-line therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients. Its safety and efficacy have been confirmed in 2 phase III clinical trials. However, no reports have been published on the experience with TDF among Southeast Asian populations, including Malaysia. The objectives of the study are to determine the proportion of chronic hepatitis B patients achieving complete virological suppression after being treated with TDF at 12 months and 24 months of therapy in Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah and to identify factors associated with the complete virological suppression. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using secondary data, which involved chronic hepatitis B patients treated with Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF) for at least 3 months, between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2021. The proportion of chronic hepatitis B patients who achieved complete virological response (CVR) at the end of 12 and 24 months of therapy was evaluated. Additionally, the association of complete virological response with clinico demographic factors, clinical outcome (liver cirrhosis-related complications, development of hepatocellular carcinoma), biochemical response, and survival status was also analysed. Result: 108 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified. 60.5% (49 out of 81) patients achieved complete virological response at 12 months of TDF therapy, and 76 out of 90 (84.4%) patients achieved complete virological response at the end of 24 months of TDF therapy. Analysis using multiple logistic regression showed the presence of HBeAg antigen as the only factor associated significantly with complete virological suppression. (OR= 8.246, 95% CI: 2.093 – 32.487, p-value = 0.003). Using chi-square tests, the association of complete virological suppression at 24 months of TDF therapy was shown to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.001) with the reduction of liver cirrhosis complications, namely variceal bleeding,ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Normalisation of ALT levels was shown to be significantly associated with complete virological suppression at 12 months and 24 months of TDF therapy. Conclusion: Our experience from this study shows that TDF is an effective therapy for chronic hepatitis B patients in our population. Induction of long-term suppression of HBV DNA should be the primary endpoint of treating chronic Hepatitis B patients as this is significantly associated with favourable clinical outcomes, preventing further disease progression and development of hepatocellular carcinoma, thus improving overall survival.
- PublicationPreparation Of Pani/Go/Mof-Fe3o4 Nanocomposite Via Sol-Gel Method For Removal Methyl Orange And Naproxen Sodium(2025-06)Discharging industrial dyes and emerging contaminants (ECs) into water resources has become a severe ecological and public health hazard, evidenced by measurable contaminant levels in wastewater and their adverse impacts on aquatic life and human health. In this study, a simple synthesis method (in-situ polymerization) has been employed to synthesize PANI/GO/MOF-Fe3O4 nanocomposite for the adsorption of industrial dye: methyl orange (MO) and an emerging contaminant, naproxen sodium (NAP), from the wastewater.
- PublicationEvaluation of central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth and axial length among juvenile open angle glaucoma patients(2022)INTRODUCTION Juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG) is a subset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), characterized by a pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance. Diagnosed at early age, patients with JOAG are expected to have longer life expectancy. They are usually associated with more severe and rapidly progressive disease. JOAG has insidious onset and is usually detected late stage of the disease with typically advance optic nerve damage and intraocular pressure of more than 40mmHg. Early detection particularly due to screening of family members with positive family history of JOAG. Literature on morphologic features of JOAG is limited. By studying those features will help clinician in determining which morphologic features associated with progression of the disease. While family members with positive morphologic features particularly will be screened more regularly, preventing late detection of the disease. OBJECTIVE The study aims to evaluate central cornea thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and axial length (AL), in JOAG patients, and its association with JOAG severity. METHODS A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2020 until November 2021 involving 3 tertiary ophthalmology centres. The study involved 2 groups of patients which is JOAG groups and control group (age-sex matched). They were grouped into mild, moderate and severe group using modified AGIS scoring system with reliable and reproducible SITA standard 24-2 Humphrey visual field results. A-scan was performed in order to measure ACD, and AL. AS-OCT was performed to measure CCT. RESULTS A total of 120 patients were recruited in this study, whereby 60 patients were included in JOAG group and 60 patients without ocular comorbidities were included in control group. Slightly more male patients 53.3% (n = 32) in JOAG group, and 51.7% (n = 31) in control group. Mean age is 27.97±7.1 in both groups. From the JOAG group, at their first presentation, majority were from severe stage 68.3% (n = 41) followed by early stage 26.7% (n = 16), and moderate stage 5% (n = 3). While at recruitment, majority were from severe stage as well which increased to 70% (n = 42), followed by early stage 16.7% (n = 10), and moderate stage 13.3% (n = 8). We found that statistically significant changes of severity from first presentation and at recruitment (p=<0.001). There was significant difference in CCT (556.23±28.93mm, p=0.008) and AL (25.16±1.63mm, p= <0.001) between JOAG and control group. Multiple linear regression showed that presenting IOP, and AL were associated with severity of JOAG. CONCLUSIONS There was a significant mean difference in CCT and AL between JOAG and control groups. There was a significant positive linear relationship between CCT and AL with JOAG. We concluded that presenting IOP and AL were associated with severity of JOAG
- PublicationRed Blood Cell Alloantibody Development Among Multi-transfused Patients In A Single Tertiary Centre(2023-11)OBJECTIVES This research aimed to determine the prevalence, frequency, and specificity of RBC alloantibody and to evaluate the factors associated with its development among multi transfused patients in a single tertiary hospital. BACKGROUND Red blood cell (RBC) alloantibody development is one of the significant complications of blood transfusion, especially among multi-transfused patients. The risk depends on the frequency of exposure to the foreign RBC antigen, the antigen's immunogenicity, as well as the recipient's gender, age, underlying therapy or disease, and geographic ancestry. MATERIALS & METHODS This was a cross-sectional study involving retrospective data collection from 348 multi transfused patients who underwent pre-transfusion or immunohaematology testing from 1st January 2020 until 31st December 2021. Demographics and clinical characteristics were analysed using descriptive and multiple logistic analysis. RESULTS The prevalence of RBC alloantibody among 5,675 multi-transfused patients was 16.3%. Of the 348 multi-transfused patients studied, RBC alloantibodies were detected in 155 (44.5%) patients. Anti-E was the most common single alloantibody (39.6%), followed by anti-Mia (26.2%), as well as anti-M and anti-Lea (6.3% each). Multi-transfused patients with chronic kidney disease (p<0.001) and thalassaemia (p=0.032) were associated with a significantly higher risk for RBC alloantibody development. CONCLUSION Given the high prevalence of RBC alloantibody among multi-transfused patients, the provision of extended RBC antigen matched blood among these group of patients is essential to reduce the risk of transfusion induced alloimmunisation and subsequently haemolytic transfusion reaction or delayed serologic transfusion reaction.
Most viewed
- PublicationDesign and development of effective tool changer for cobot(2024-08)This Final Year Project (FYP) focuses on the escalating technological needs amid Malaysia's industrial revolution, particularly in the realm of robotics. The project addresses the evolution of robotic arms, emphasizing the pivotal role of Collaborative Robots (Cobots) in bridging the gap between human workers and automation. Despite the benefits of Cobots, a notable challenge persists in the form of rigid end effectors, limiting their functionality. The FYP aims to evaluate existing tool changer solutions and develop a prototype that overcomes these limitations. By intricately examining the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed tool changer design, this research contributes to enhancing the collaborative capabilities of Cobots in real-world applications, thereby advancing the landscape of robotics in Industry 4.0. The adaptive tool changer with lighter design, effective passive mechanical locking mechanism, demonstrated significant improvements in engagement and disengagement tolerances without any electrical components needed is successfully designed in this project.
- ItemBases of power and influence tactics(2007)The general objective of this study was to examine the supervisors’ and subordinates’ use of power and their relationships to supervisors’ use of influence tactics. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine power congruence and its impact on influence tactics in manufacturing companies in Malaysia. The present research differs from the previous studies by linking power congruence between supervisors’ and subordinates’ power either from self or as perceived by their subordinates or supervisors with three dimensions of influence tactics known as, hard, soft, and rational appeal tactics. This study is perhaps the first that tested “congruence hypothesis” in leadership framework. The objective was to gain insight into ways by which the management of manufacturing companies might use their power to enhance the effective use of influence tactics on their subordinates. Ten broadly hypothesized relationships were tested in a field study with a sample of 385 pairs of supervisors and subordinates working in 82 manufacturing companies in Selangor/Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Sarawak. Data were gathered from both supervisors and their subordinates by means of questionnaires. Methodologically, past research had been prone to common method bias. However, this study has demonstrated to be relatively free from this bias by collecting data from two sources. By and large, the results from the analyses have indicated moderate support for the hypotheses. This study is perhaps the first to generate a new set of power congruence items in which simultaneous measurement from two perspectives-supervisors and subordinates-were taken to examine the aspect of mutuality. The first four hypotheses which investigate the direct relationship between supervisors or subordinates power and influence tactics revealed that supervisors would apply various influence tactics on their subordinates. Rational appeal tactics has exhibited the highest mean as compared with soft and hard influence tactics in the direct relationship between power and influence tactics. For the indirect hypotheses, only one particular dimension of influence tactics was found significant for each power congruence hypotheses. The results confirmed that when both supervisors and subordinates were perceived to have position power, the use of hard influence tactics was most apparent. Conversely, when both of them were seen to have personal power, supervisors would resort to the use of soft influence tactics. Inevitably, this study provides a conceptual foundation for the effective use of influence tactics. This study may be useful for those who are in positions of influence, to help the supervisors and subordinates understand more clearly the bases of their own actions, and the possible alternatives to their actions. Practically, this research points to the fact that Malaysian managers and executives need to be trained in the effective use of influence tactics.
- PublicationInterleukin-23 (IL-23) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) expression in murine macrophage cell line J774A.1 stimulated with recombinant bcg (rBCG) clone expressing MSP-1C of Plasmodium falciparum.(2015)Malaria is a disease caused by a Plasmodium parasite that is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum') is the most deadly to humans. In Malaysia, malaria is still one of the most important vector-borne diseases, primarily in Sarawak and Sabah. The 19-kDa merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1C) of Plasmodium is a primary candidate for a malaria vaccine as it is highly immunogenic in humans. The inhibition of MSP-1C was previously proposed to be one of the possible mechanisms for the inhibition of merozoite invasion. Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is a cytokine composed of pl9 and p40 subunits which involve in the stimulation of memory CD4+ T cells. The mechanism of IL-23 regulation has been shown to be dependent on signalling molecules known as Mitogen- Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) which consist of the p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-tenninal kinase (JNK). This study was conducted to determine IL-23 expression by ELISA followed by the detection of signalling pathways activated by Western Blot analysis in macrophages stimulated with rBCG. Macrophage cell line J774A.1 were incubated in DMEM with 10% FBS. The cell was stimulated with BCG and rBCG for 24 and 48 hours. For each incubation time, flasks containing macrophage cultures were scrapped and centrifuged. The supernatant were collected for ELISA analysis while the cell pellets were collected for Western Blot analysis. ELISA result shows that there is an increase of IL-23 expression from 24 to 48 hours; however statistical analysis shows no significant difference. For signalling molecules, only ERK was found to be induced by rBCG stimulation, but not for p38 and JNK. As a conclusion, IL-23 expression is induced in response to rBCG stimulation and it is dependent on ERK signalling molecules.
- ItemThe significance of social capital in intergenerational social mobility of former Indian plantation based communities(2009)This thesis presents a micro-sociological study of socio-cultural consequences of the changing landscape of the Malaysian plantation that have undergone significant development and restructuring. Changes in terms of recapitalisation and reorientation of the plantation towards capital intensive ventures has directly affected the social fabric of the plantation community. One of the most significant change is the displacement of workers when the plantation is restructured by closure. The thesis seeks to analyse the extend and the capacity of the displaced workers, to adapt and adjust to the new social environment while burdened by the constraints of the historically embedded encapsulating social and cultural sub-system of the ‘estate culture’, noted for its culture of poverty habitus. The main objective is to study the historical processes that contribute to the crystallisation of the ‘estate culture’ and the structure that encapsulate and at the same time marginalise plantation workers within the constraints of peripheral network of estate habitus. Based on an ethnographic study of the experiences of former plantation workers, this thesis shows that the combined effect of the long history of exploitation and peripheralisation subsequent condition of marginalisation has encapsulated the plantation in a convoluted close system, that retard significant social mobility through lack of significant social network and viable social capital. Even though there are some who choose to leave the plantation, this thesis shows that it does not constitute social mobility. For those who still remain within the plantation vicinity, are relatively incapacitated by limited access to education, skills, training and access to networks and linkages. Attempt to integrate the ex-plantation workers into mainstream society necessitates a social reorientation from the historically crystallised capsule of the ‘estate habitus.’ This can only be achieved with the help of a safety net provided for by the government, civil society and the plantation owners notwithstanding.
- PublicationZero energy indoor vertical farming system with internet of things (IOT) monitoring(2023-08)This project proposes a zero-energy indoor vertical farming system that utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) for monitoring and control. The method seeks to address issues with urban areas' lack of space, high energy use and lack of access to food. The proposed system integrates renewable energy sources, such as solar panels to power the vertical farming system and reduce the reliance on the grid. The system may be made to store extra energy produced throughout the day in batteries for use at night or at times when there is little sunlight. The idea of using 18V solar panel and 12V 4.5Ah lead acid battery will be applied in this project. Because the indoor atmosphere can be adjusted and optimized for plant development, it also enables agricultural production throughout the year, independent of the weather. Moreover, it makes use of IoT technology to monitor and regulate environmental elements like lighting and water level to enhance plant growth and save water usage. It reduces water consumption through the use of recirculating hydroponic systems based on real-time environmental data. There will be 3 water level sensors will be used in this project. Real-time data from the system's sensors may be examined and utilized to change agricultural conditions remotely, enabling effective resource management. Overall, the zero-energy indoor vertical farming system with IoT monitoring offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for urban agriculture. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce food by reducing water consumption, optimizing crop growth and improving resource management. By integrating renewable energy and IoT technology, this system can contribute to both food security and environmental sustainability.