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- PublicationUnderstanding The Economic Impacts Of International Branch Campuses (Ibc) In Uzbekistan: Insights From Graduates(2025-08)The number of international branch campuses (IBC) in Uzbekistan has grown rapidly in recent decades. The government has actively supported the establishment of these institutions with the aim of increasing access, quality, and capacity within the higher education system, as well as preparing qualified human resources for the national economy. Although the industry has matured and some IBCs have already produced several batches of graduates, the actual benefits and impacts of these institutions on the economy and society remains unclear. Therefore, this study explores the perspectives of IBC graduates on the economic impacts of international branch campuses in Uzbekistan, with a focus on human capital development.
- PublicationInvestigating Source Apportionment And Ecological Risk Assessment Of Microplastic Pollution In The Surface Waters Of Pinang River And Kerian River Using Spatial Analysis(2025-09)Microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems is an emerging environmental concern due to its persistence, widespread distribution, and ecological risks. This study investigates the sources, distribution, and ecological risks of microplastics in the surface waters of the Pinang River (Balik Pulau) and Kerian River (Nibong Tebal), Malaysia. These two rivers are subjected to varied land uses, including agriculture, aquaculture, and urban development. The study integrates historical water quality data (2017–2021), in-situ measurements, stereomicroscopy, FTIR polymer identification, and ecological risk assessment through the Risk Quotient (RQ) method. To identify potential pollution sources, secondary water quality data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), revealing that both rivers are predominantly impacted by diffuse sources such as agricultural runoff, aquaculture effluents, and domestic discharges.
- PublicationThe Influence Of Institutional Pressures And Social Capital On Blockchain Technology Diffusion In Malaysian Agriculture And Food Supply Chain: The Moderating Role Of Social Networks(2025-09)The conventional agriculture and food supply chain (AFSC) suffers from concerns such as food security, food waste, operational inefficiency, instances of food fraud, and lack of traceability, among others. These concerns exist due to a lack of traceability, transparency, digitalization, and interconnectedness across AFSC. In addition, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to adopt digitalization solutions to sustain their business operations. While most businesses reverted to existing practices once the pandemic's adversities eased, this implies that the adopted system does not meet the needs of AFSC companies. In response, researchers advocated for the use of blockchain technology (BCT) to unlock the capabilities of traceability and transparency, as well as to offer a secure platform for digitalization. Despite the benefits of BCT in improving AFSC, its usage is still in the infancy stage. Therefore, this study aims to increase the diffusion of BCT in the Malaysian AFSC by assessing the influence of social capital theory and institutional theory. Also, most previous studies have particularly focused on intention to adopt, and this study extends the scope by adding two preceding stages: knowledge seeking and evaluation of perceived innovation characteristics. The key research objectives are to identify the significant determinants of each BCT diffusion stage and examine the moderating role of social networks in trust-based relationships.
- PublicationImmunomodulatory Effect Of Christia Vespertilionis Leaf Extract (Cvle) On B Cell Activating Factor (Baff) - Mediated Monocyte Proliferation(2025-09)Aberrant expression of B cell activating factor (BAFF) has been strongly implicated in a range of immunological disorders, particularly autoimmune diseases and lymphoid malignancies. Among the various disorders influenced by BAFF dysregulation, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is particularly notable, as elevated levels of BAFF have been consistently reported in patients with SLE, thereby positioning BAFF as a promising target for therapeutic intervention. While synthetic BAFF antagonists are currently used for treatment, a substantial percentage of patients do not respond well to these treatments, justifying the need for alternative approaches with natural products from traditional/medicinal plants. Christia vespertilionis (CV), commonly known as the butterfly wing plant demonstrated various medicinal properties, though its immunomodulatory effects remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this study evaluates the potential immunomodulatory effects of aqueous CV leaf extract (CVLE) on BAFF-mediated monocyte proliferation.
- PublicationExamining The Relationship Between Hrm Practices, Organizational Justice, Transformational Leadership, And Job Performance Of Administrative Staff In “Double First Class” Universities In Sichuan, China: The Moderating Role Of Organizational Identification(2025-08)As China’s higher education sector expands, operational-level administrative staff face increasing workloads, evolving job expectations, and immense pressure. Ensuring their effectiveness is crucial for institutional efficiency, yet research on their performance remains limited. This study, based on social exchange theory (SET) and social identity theory (SIT), explores how HRM practices, organizational justice, and transformational leadership influence job performance, with organizational identification as a moderator.
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- PublicationA study on structural behaviour of plastic chairwheel concrete spacer(2011-05-01)The purpose for this study was to determine the compression capacity of spacers used in the construction industry by means of experimental work, and to study load distribution within the structural of spacer by means of computational analysis. Plastic chair and wheel spacer samples were obtained from a local manufacturer of plastic spacers. Samples were tested to obtain a load displacement curve using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Comparison between wheel spacer and chair spacer was made. The maximum compressive load for spacers with various cover depths were tested for chair spacer. The material of the plastic spacers obtained from the manufacture had mix proportions of polypropylene (PP) and recyclable material. Computational analysis was carried out using finite element analysis software LUSAS. A finite element analysis using 3D elements was carried out to study the load distribution. Experimental results show that the maximum capacity and displacement of plastic chair spacer is higher than that of plastic wheel spacer. Current most used and available plastic wheel spacer of cover 35 mm can support an average maximum loading of 0.4537 kN. The weakest link in a plastic wheel spacer is its outer legs. Current most used and available plastic chair spacer of cover 50 mm, 40 mm and 30 mm, can support an average maximum loading of 1.185 kN, 1.148 kN, 1.850 kN respectively. Plastic chair spacers could take up to four times the maximum compressive load capacity compared to plastic wheel chair spacer for the same cover. Results of computational analysis on a chair spacer show that the trend of behaviour could be simulated satisfactorily. However, the compression capacity showed significant difference in magnitude due to unavailability of stress strain data of the actual material used for the spacer. Both laboratory test observations and computational analysis shows that the center column of the chair spacer plays a significant role in the load distribution which leads to its loss in cover as a result of compression displacement.
- PublicationEvaluating The Effectiveness Of Monetary Versus Fiscal Policies In Malaysia Using Macroeconometric Approaches(2022-09)The purpose of this thesis is to examine the roles of monetary and fiscal policies in achieving Malaysia's basic macroeconomic goals of price stability and long-term growth. This thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part employs nonlinear modelling techniques to investigate the nonlinear effect of policy stances on GDP growth and inflation using Malaysian data from 1980Q1 to 2018Q1. The results of the STAR and TAR approaches reveal the existence of a nonlinear relationship. The results show that no single policy tool can lead to the policy objectives of high GDP growth and low inflation at once. Both STAR and TAR results evident that the fiscal tools of government expenditure, current account balance and debt are harmful to the economic growth and the impact on inflation is either negative or not significant. In terms of monetary policy, the policy rate is a less effective tool to stimulate GDP growth but is a better option to control or reduce inflation. Meanwhile, real effective exchange rate encourages GDP growth but it does not influence price level significantly. The STAR model is a preferred model in capturing the gradual threshold adjustment in economic variables. In the second part of the analysis, a macroeconometric model is developed to evaluate the performance of Malaysia's monetary and fiscal policies as well as to project different economic outcomes and scenarios through numerical simulations.
- PublicationThe role of HIF-1α and VGSCs in influencing metastasis of breast cancer cells(2018-09)The role of HIF-1α as well as CBP and p300 in the regulation of VGSCs particularly the isoforms Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 which are highly expressed in aggressive breast cancer cells has yet to be explored. This study was designed to investigate the role of HIF-1α/CBP/p300 in the regulation of Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 in aggressive breast cancer. In doing so, this study was separated into three major chapters. The 1st Chapter: Characterisation of Nav1.5, nNav1.5, HIF-1α, and HIF-1α target gene, CA9 expressions in human breast cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential; the non-cancerous breast epithelial cell line (MCF-10A), the weakly metastatic breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), and the aggressive breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231). HIF-1α mRNA was detected in all three cell lines in which when normalised to MCF-10A, the highest expression was detected in MDA-MB-231 cells (4.6-fold, P ≤ 0.05), followed by MCF-7 cells (1.6-fold). Consistently, CA9 mRNA expression was detected at a higher level in MDA-MB-231 cells (12.9-fold, P ≤ 0.05) normalized to MCF-7 cells. Finally, expression level of Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 were also greater in MDA-MB-231 compared to MCF-7 cells (109.5-fold, P ≤ 0.01 and 120.4-fold, P ≤ 0.01 respectively). The 2nd Chapter: Elucidating the role of HIF-1α in regulating Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 expression and VGSC-mediated breast cancer metastasis. Using TRANSFAC and JASPAR2018, 3 possible binding sites for HIF-1α in the promoter region of Nav1.5 was revealed. HIF-1α knock-downed was achieved after 24 hr treatment with siRNA; HIF-1α mRNA and protein expression was down-regulated by 86.3% and 33%, respectively. The knock-downed was confirmed with down-regulation of CA9 mRNA expression level by 74.7%, P ≤ 0.01. siRNA-HIF-1α treated cells also showed significant decrease (by 31%, P ≤ 0.0001) in migration. CoCl2 (100 μM, 150 μM and 200 μM) successfully increased HIF-1α protein (up to > 600%) and mRNA expression of CA9 (up to 6 – 11-fold, P ≤ 0.05). This was followed by increased Nav1.5 mRNA expression (up to >1.3-1.6-fold). When growth of MCF-7 cells was not altered with CoCl2, motility and migration remain intact. The 3rd Chapter: Investigating the transcriptional regulation of Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 by HIF-1α and its co-activators, CBP and p300. mRNA expression levels of CBP and p300 were detected at higher level in MDA-MB-231 compared to MCF-7 cells. HIF-1α knocked-down significantly reduced the mRNA of CBP by 0.5-fold (P ≤ 0.05) in MDA-MB-231 cells whilst stabilisation of HIF-1α using CoCl2 caused a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of p300 by 1.2-fold (P ≤ 0.001). Treatment with C646 led to significant reduction in CBP and p300 mRNA (P ≤ 0.01). Similarly, CA9, Nav1.5 and nNav1.5 mRNA expression level in MDA-MB-231 cells was also down-regulated by C646 (up 60%, 50% and 30%, respectively, P ≤ 0.05). Finally, reduced metastatic abilities; motility and migration (up to 60% and 53%, respectively, P ≤ 0.001) were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with C646. As a conclusion, HIF-1α/CBP/p300 altogether regulates the expression of Nav1.5 in breast cancer; interruption of HIF-1α/CBP/p300 lead to metastasis suppression in breast cancer cells. As for nNav1.5, current findings indicate that CBP/p300 able to the regulate nNav1.5, although its regulation by HIF-1α/CBP/p300 is yet to be re-evaluated. Nevertheless, targeting HIF-1α/CBP/p300/Nav1.5 could still be useful as potential strategy to combat Nav1.5-mediated breast cancer metastasis.
- PublicationOptimization of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (wco) using aspen hysys(2021-06-01)Optimization of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO) using ASPEN HYSYS has been presented in this thesis. Waste cooking oil (WCO) is chosen as the raw material because about 40,000 tonnes per year of WCO produced in Asia countries such as China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, etc. The other ways are to recycle the oil and convert it into a new form of product which is biodiesel that will be useful to reduce the amount of wastes and give the WCO a new life. The simulation was carried out to study the efficiency of the biodiesel production from the membrane reactor since the main reference article use for this project is using membrane reactor taken from “ASPEN HYSYS Simulation for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil using Membrane Reactor”. This project will further optimize the biodiesel production using membrane reactor. The process flow diagram (PFD) is also taken from the “ASPEN HYSYS Simulation for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil using Membrane Reactor” and were used to simulate the result by using ASPEN HYSYS. The research methodology for the simulation rely on the ASPEN HYSYS software. The list of components for the simulation can be obtained from the HYSYS databanks. The fluid package for the simulation is using NTRL method. The process flow diagram (PFD) for the simulation is referring the article “ASPEN HSYS Simulation for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil using Membrane Reactor”. The result was unable to obtained due to many errors occurduring conducting the simulation. The expected result from the hypotheses are the yield of the biodiesel will increase as the temperature and pressure increase. The yield of biodiesel will also increase as the reaction time increase. This study hasshown that the parameters such as temperature, pressure and reaction time play an important role that affecting the yield of biodiesel. Moreover, it shows a potential as new commercialize process due to the less waste is generated because no water is needed to purify the final product.
- PublicationInvestigation of smilax myosotiflora methanol extract (smme) on its safety profile, mechanism of penile erection and chemical constituents as a male rat aphrodisiac(2024-08)Smilax myosotiflora or ‘ubi jaga’ is a popular plant in Malaysian traditional medicine as a male aphrodisiac. Scientific findings proved it possessed a peptide that increased testosterone production while the methanol extract has significantly elevated testosterone level and sexual behaviours in male rats. However, data on its toxicity effect, mechanism of action and bioactive compounds were still unknown. This study aims to investigate the S. myosotiflora methanol extract (SMME) on its safety profile, mechanism of penile erection and chemical constituents as a male rat aphrodisiac. S. myosotiflora were investigated for macronutrients, micronutrients and heavy metal ion through proximate analysis and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the safety plant profile. Toxicity effects were evaluated through in vivo ‘Limit Test’ of acute and subacute toxicity tests using the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) guidelines no. 425 and 407 accordingly. Repeated Dose 90-Day in vivo test was done on sexually experienced male (XEM) rats (Control-vehicle, SMME-800mg/kg, Viagra-5mg/kg) followed by male sexual behaviour (MSB) test and gene expression analysis to determine the mechanism of penile erection. For chemical constituents, the SMME was fractionated using liquid-liquid fractionation method prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry/quadrupole time-of-flight (LC-MS/QTOF) analyses. Results showed that the macronutrients, macronutrients and heavy metal ion of S. myosotiflora were within safe limit. No acute/subacute toxicity effects were noted except it significantly reduced aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and increased testosterone level in SMME-treated male rats while significantly increased triglycerides in SMME-treated female rats in the subacute test. The SMME also did not cause any effect in the 90 days treatment and MSB test except significantly reduced urea in the XEM SMME versus control rats and reduced AST in the XEM SMME versus Viagra rats. Histologically, the SMME-treated XEM rats were also have higher sperm density in their cauda epididymis than the other groups. For penile erection mechanism, SMME has potential to upregulate the expression of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) and downregulate the phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) and 2 (PDE2) to stimulate the corpus cavernosum relaxation. Main chemical compounds in the SMME were fatty acid, flavonoid, alkaloid and terpenoid while stearamide from residual aqueous fraction (RAF) was a putative male aphrodisiac active compound. The study revealed that SMME is safe, has potential as a male aphrodisiac and could be developed as a drug of the male sexual dysfunction (MSD) provided more studies are done in the future.