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- PublicationStudy On Practice Of Massive Transfusion Protocol Activation In Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia(2022-05)Introduction: Massive transfusion protocol (MTP) was designed to improve the outcome of patients at risk of mass ive haemorrhage. This study focused on the prevalence, indications, associated factors toward the indication of MTP cases and 24-hour mortality among who received MTP in Hospital USM. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 110 patients for whom MTP was activated in Hospital USM. Data were extracted from the medical records and blood bank system (MyTransfus i). Simple and multiple logistic analysis was used for stati stical analysis, and a p-value of< 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 273,087 patients were admitted to Hospital USM and 193 patients required MTP activation during the study period. The prevalence of MTP activation was only 0.07%. This study included 110 MTP cases which consisted of 62 (56.3%) trauma and 48 (43 .7%) non-trauma patients. The mean age of total patients were 40.0 years old, and maj ority were male (66.4%). The two most common MTP indications were motor vehicle accidents (n = 58) and gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 24). Female (adjusted OR= 20.08, 95% CI 5.76- 70.00, p <0.00 I) and presence of comorbidity (adjusted OR= 13.66, 95% CI 4.21 - 44.39, p<0.001) significantly associated with MTP indication. Meanwhile, no emergency procedure (adjusted OR= 12.77, 95% CI 4.22- 38.61, p <0.001) and noncompliance to MTP (adjusted OR = 4.30, 95% CI l.21 - 15.38, p = 0.024) were significantly associated with high mortality within 24-hour post MTP activation. Conclusion: The prevalence of MTP was low. Our result suggested that early emergency procedures to control the haemorrhage source should be done, and compliance towards MTP needs to be improved for better patient outcomes.
- PublicationIn Silico Selection And Validation Of Dna Aptamer Against Progesterone Receptor Dna Binding Domain(2022)Progesterone receptor plays an important role in the progression of breast cancer. Currently, antibody-based Immunohistochemistry is used in pathological assessment of PR levels for the detection of breast cancer. The shortcomings associated with antibodies pave the path to use aptamers as the alternatives. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides generated by SELEX that are capable of binding to their cognate target molecules with high affinity and specificity based on their unique structural folding capacity.The tediousness and rigor associated with certain steps of the conventional SELEX intensify the efforts to select DNA aptamers using in silico-docking approach. That said, we report an in silico selection and validation of DNA aptamer to the progesterone receptor DNA binding domain (PR DBD) using ssDNA sequences derived from human progesterone response elements (PREs).Firstly, a library of sixty-four different nearnative ssDNA analogs of the corresponding PRE sequences was designed and subjected to secondary and tertiary structural determination. After that, docking between the ssDNA tertiary structures with the PR DBD was carried out using PatchDock. The sequence with the highest docking score was chosen as the aptamer candidate and further validated by in vitro direct ELASA.Among the candidates, we selected the ssDNA sequence (PRDBDapt17; 5′- AGAACAGCGTGTTCT -3′), which showed the highest docking scores of 11334 as a promising PR DBD binding aptamer. In addition, the PRDBDapt17 detected recombinant PR DBD in direct ELASA with a limit of detection of 3.91 nM. The dissociation constant was estimated at 366.6 nM. Therefore, PRDBDapt17 is a potential aptamer that can be used in the diagnosis of breast cancer.
- 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.
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- 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.