Students’ satisfaction of MARA College management services, learning environment and the effect on learning motivation

Higher education institutions in Malaysia have been facing an overwhelming demand to provide adequate facilities and resources to assist with students’ learning. The resources mentioned include ICT facilities, offices, libraries, as well as positive learning environments. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the level of students’ satisfaction with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) college management services (student service and affairs, registration service, and resources/facilities) and its learning environments. The study also examined the effects of those management services and the learning environments on students’ learning motivations. A descriptive analysis was used to determine the level of students’ satisfaction, while a t-test was used to determine whether student gender influenced students’ satisfaction levels. A total of 169 pre-university students were selected as the sample group, using a convenient sampling method. From the SPSS results, the study found that the level of satisfaction on learning environments and the learning motivations of the participants were high. It also showed that, gender had no influence on the participants’ satisfaction levels. The Smart PLS is a statistical software used for Structural Equation Model (SEM) to know the effect of exogenous variable (independent) on endogenous variable (dependent). SEM-PLS identified that learning environments and student services had an effect on student motivation levels. Moreover, it predicted student satisfaction and motivation levels. Finally, a few recommendations were made for better management service on how to increase a learner’s motivation. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press

Measuring tongue strength in adults after partial glossectomy: a review

The purpose of this study is to present a scoping review of the measurements of tongue strength available, particularly in adult patients, following partial glossectomy. The subsequent impact on functionality and quality of life were also explored. Materials and methodsThis study used a scoping review and the study selection comprised two stages of screening: the review of the title and abstract followed by a full-text review. During the first stage of screening, the title and abstracts of all retrieved references were reviewed against the predetermined inclusion criteria. In the second stage of screening, all studies were reviewed at full-text level, utilising the Full-Text Screening Relevance measure. A total of 20 articles were reviewed as they met the inclusion criteria Results The study found that subjective and quality-of-life measures may still be useful in measuring tongue strength in developing contexts as they closely approximate objective measures and are reliable as an interim measure. However, there is still a need for the development of other objective measures, should funding be available

Biochemical changes of cryopreserved seminal plasma and spermatozoa of the giant grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus after preservation and transportation using dry-ice

The present study aims to investigate the effects of exposure of the seminal plasma and spermatozoa of the giant grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus to dry ice ( 79 C) during transport on their quality. In all, 15 amino acid compounds were determined. The quantification of total proteins were measured using the Bradford method, and amino acid concentration were measured using the HPLC method. The cryopreserved seminal plasma was transferred from a liquid nitrogen tank to a styrofoam box filled with dry ice. Total protein and amino acids were measured after 24, 48, and 72 h. For comparative purposes, total protein and fifteen compound of amino acid were also measured. Both parameters were also measured after the cryopreserved seminal plasma were immersed in liquid nitrogen after 24 and 48 h exposed to dry ice. The results showed that the exposure of seminal plasma to dry ice for 24, 48 and 72 h during transportation or immersion back into the liquid nitrogen after 24 and 48 h does not change the total protein levels either in seminal plasma or spermatozoa. However, the level of each amino acid compound in the seminal plasma had significantly decrease

Safety assessment of natural products in Malaysia: current practices, challenges, and new strategies

The belief that natural products are inherently safe is a primary reason for consumers to choose traditional medicines and herbal supplements for health maintenance and disease prevention. Unfortunately, some natural products on the market have been found to contain toxic compounds, such as heavy metals and microbes, as well as banned ingredients such as aristolochic acids. It shows that the existing regulatory system is inadequate and highlights the importance of thorough safety evaluations. In Malaysia, the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency is responsible for the regulatory control of medicinal products and cosmetics, including natural products. For registration purpose, the safety of natural products is primarily determined through the review of documents, including monographs, research articles and scientific reports. One of the main factors hampering safety evaluations of natural products is the lack of toxicological data from animal studies. However, international regulatory agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority and the United States Food and Drug Administration are beginning to accept data obtained using alternative strategies such as non-animal predictive toxicological tools. Our paper discusses the use of state-of-the-art techniques, including chemometrics, in silico modelling and omics technologies and their applications to the safety assessments of natural products

Modeling Population Movements under Uncertainty at the Border in Humanitarian Crises: A Situational Analysis Tool

Humanitarian agencies must be prepared to mobilize quickly in response to complex emergencies, and their effectiveness depends on their ability to identify, anticipate, and prepare for future needs. These are typically highly uncertain situations in which predictive modeling tools can be useful but challenging to build. To better understand the need for humanitarian support -- including shelter and assistance -- and strengthen contingency planning and protection efforts for displaced populations, we present a situational analysis tool to help anticipate the number of migrants and forcibly displaced persons that will cross a border in a humanitarian crisis. The tool consists of: (i) indicators of potential intent to move drawn from traditional and big data sources; (ii) predictive models for forecasting possible future movements; and (iii) a simulation of border crossings and shelter capacity requirements under different conditions. This tool has been specifically adapted to contingency planning in settings of high uncertainty, with an application to the Brazil-Venezuela border during the COVID-19 pandemic.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

The future of care work: towards a radical politics of care in CSCW research and practice

Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and Human- Computer Interaction (HCI) have long studied how technology can support material and relational aspects of care work, typically in clinical healthcare settings. More recently, we see increasing recognition of care work such as informal healthcare provision, child and elderly care, organizing and advocacy, domestic work, and service work. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored long-present tensions between the deep necessity and simultaneous devaluation of our care infrastructures. This highlights the need to attend to the broader social, political, and economic systems that shape care work and the emerging technologies being used in care work. This leads us to ask several critical questions: What counts as care work and why? How is care work (de)valued, (un)supported, or coerced under capitalism and to what end? What narratives drive the push for technology in care work and whom does it benefit? How does care work resist or build resilience against and within oppressive systems? And how can we as researchers advocate for and with care and caregivers? In this one-day workshop, we will bring together researchers from academia, industry, and community-based organizations to reflect on these questions and extend conversations on the future of technology for care work

‘NOT A RELIGIOUS STATE’ A study of three Indonesian religious leaders on the relation of state and religion

This article explores the concept of a ‘secular state’ offered by three Indonesian religious leaders: a Catholic priest, Nicolaus Driyarkara (1913–1967), and two Muslim intellectuals who were also state officials, Mukti Ali (1923–2004) and Munawir Sjadzali (1925–2004). All three, who represented the immediate generation after the revolution for Indonesian independence from the Dutch (1945), defended the legitimacy of a secular state for Indonesia based on the state ideology Pancasila (Five Principles of Indonesia). In doing so, they argued that a religious state, for example an Islamic state, is incompatible with a plural nation that has diverse cultures, faiths, and ethnicities. The three also argued that the state should remain neutral about its citizens’ faith and should not be dominated by a single religion, i.e. Islam. Instead, the state is obliged to protect all religions embraced by Indonesians. This argument becomes a vital foundation in the establishment of Indonesia’s trajectory of unique ‘secularisation’. Whilst these three intellectuals opposed the idea of establishing a religious or Islamic state in Indonesia, it was not because they envisioned the decline of the role of religion in politics and the public domain but rather that they regarded religiosity in Indonesia as vital in nation building within a multi-religious society. In particular, the two Muslim leaders used religious legitimacy to sustain the New Order’s political stability, and harnessed state authority to modernise the Indonesian Islamic community

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Computational and Causal Approaches on Social Media and Multimodal Sensing Data: Examining Wellbeing in Situated Contexts [Koustuv Saha]

Presented online on February 18, 2021 at 12:30 p.m.Ceara Byrne is a 6th year PhD Candidate in Human Computer Interaction at Georgia Tech. She is a designer and developer who believes in creating things around empathy before everything be it physical or digital. She uses a data-driven approach to develop products that put people and their needs first.Azra Ismail is a PhD candidate in Human-Centered Computing at Georgia Tech, advised by Dr. Neha Kumar. She is also the co-founder of MakerGhat, an organization based in Mumbai that creates safe and open makerspaces to support communities in realizing their ideas for local social, economic, and political change.Koustuv Saha is a Computer Science Ph.D. candidate in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. He works in the Social Dynamics and Wellbeing Lab, and is advised by Dr. Munmun De Choudhury. He did my undergraduate in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, and hold an overall industry research experience of five years. He is interested in the interdisciplinary areas of computational social science and social computing.Runtime: 50:41 minutesCeara Byrne: Technology for Working and Service Dogs In the Animal Computer Interaction (ACI) lab, I create and study technologies that improve communication between working dogs, such as dogs trained for search and rescue, and their handlers. In particular, my research focuses on improving the outcomes of service and working dog training. Not all dogs that go into these training programs as puppies have the temperament to become successful assistance and working animals. However, it is very difficult to determine if a dog has a temperament suitable for a service or working animal early on in life. That is where my research comes in. In my work, I investigate how aspects of canine temperament can be detected from interactions with sensors, often placed inside of dog toys that I design and build. After running tests where dogs interact with these sensors, I develop models that use sensor data to predict the success of assistance dogs in advanced training.Azra Ismail: Human-Centered Design of Artificial Intelligence Systems for Frontline Health There has been growing interest in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in frontline health, motivated by a shortage of skilled medical experts and medical equipment, particularly in the Global South. The global COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the potential for these efforts, but also their many limitations. These systems may increase the work burden on frontline health workers, many of whom are women engaged in underpaid and invisible care and data work. In this talk, I will examine the AI for Global Health discourse, the gaps in current efforts, and opportunities for design, while centering the perspectives of frontline health workers. I will draw on data from three years of ethnographic fieldwork that I have conducted with women frontline health workers and women from underserved communities in Delhi (India), as well as an extensive literature review of ongoing AI efforts in this space. Finally, I will draw on a rich body of literature on Human-Computer Interaction for Development (HCI4D), post-development critique, and transnational feminist theory to discuss lessons for AI efforts that target social good more broadly.Koustuv Saha: Computational and Causal Approaches on Social Media and Multimodal Sensing Data: Examining Wellbeing in Situated Contexts A core aspect of our social lives is often embedded in situated communities, such as our workplaces, neighborhoods, localities, and school/college campuses. The inter-connectedness and inter-dependencies of our interactions, experiences, and concerns intertwine our situated context with our wellbeing. A better understanding of our wellbeing and psychosocial dynamics will help us devise strategies to address our wellbeing through proactive and tailored support strategies. However, existing methodologies to assess wellbeing suffer from limitations of scale and timeliness. Parallelly, given its ubiquity and widespread use, social media can be considered a “passive sensor” that can act as a complementary source of unobtrusive, real-time, and naturalistic data to infer wellbeing. This talk will present an overview of computational and causal approaches for leveraging social media in concert with complementary multimodal sensing data to examine wellbeing in situated contexts. This talk will show how theory-driven computational methods can be applied on unique social media and complementary multimodal sensing data to capture attributes of human behavior and psychosocial dynamics in situated communities