Identification of Risk Factors for Myopia Questionnaire in the Malay Language among Primary School Children in Malaysia

Introduction: This study aimed to develop a questionnaire in Malay language for the identification of risk factors for myopia among primary school children aged 10 to 12 years old in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: The study commenced in October 2012 till Julai 2013 in two main phases. The first phase was a pilot study for the construction of questionnaire items by literature review and discussion with the experts. A total of 103 parents of primary school children were randomly selected to test the comprehensibility of the preliminary questionnaire. The second phase was the actual study which involved parents of 353 primary school children , 132 were parents whose children were myopes and 221 parents whose children were nonmyopes. Results: Discussions with experts in human vision science identified 5 main domains and 71 items for the preliminary questionnaire. A total of 55 items were retained for the actual study phase in view of statistically good correlation (r = 0.4 and above). Predictive validity by chi-square test allowed 28 items to be retained because of significant association with myopia (p <0.05). The correlation coefficient of testretest reliability result was considerably good (r = 0.765) and the validity in 2 categories of risk for myopia showed highly significant predictive validity of the questionnaire (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The developed Malay language questionnaire has good reliability and validity to identify the risk factors for myopia among primary school children in Malaysia

Extended P-I diagram method

The pressure-impulse (P-I) diagram method is used in practice (for civilian and military applications) for predicting the level of damage sustained by structures when subjected to blast loads and for assessing the imposed loading regime. Each P-I curve is associated with a certain structural configuration as well as a specific form of blast load and level of damage sustained. When assessing the effect of different parameters (associated with the form of the imposed load and the design of the structure considered) on structural performance, a series of new P-I curves need to be derived. This paper presents an extended P-I diagram method, which is based on derivation of complementary diagrams that can define the effect of two parameters (e.g., the level of axial loading imposed onto a column and the level of damage sustained) on the quasi-static and impulsive asymptotes, thus governing the positions of P-I curves in the diagram plane. The extended P-I diagram method is presented in dimensional and normalised forms. The dimensional form simplifies the derivation of new P-I curves, while the normalised form simplifies the procedure adopted for assessing the behaviour of a certain structure when subjected to a new set of loads. The application of the proposed method is demonstrated in both forms using a typical reinforced concrete (RC) column subjected to a blast load. The column is modelled using finite element analysis capable of accounting for the nonlinear behaviour of concrete and steel. A novel method is proposed for material modelling of concrete. The new material model is validated at both material and structural levels against relevant experimental data. P-I diagrams are initially derived for the axially unloaded column, while complementary diagrams are derived for the column loaded by different axial forces. The framework of the extended P-I diagram method employed for the derivation of new P-I curves and the assessment of the level of damage sustained by the column when subjected to different loading conditions is provided herein.</p

The effects of water stress on mung bean (Vigna radiata L.): variability in the growth, biomass & stomatal opening

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is widely cultivated across Asia and has gained popularity in various cuisines due to its high nutritional value. Rich in protein, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds like polyphenols and peptides, mung beans are considered a valuable functional food. The present experiment aimed to study the effects of water stress on the growth and yield of mung beans by applying varying water treatment volumes (20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 ml). Key growth parameters measured included stomata size on the stem and leaves, the number of leaves, average plant height, and biomass, all assessed after one week of growth. Water was supplemented every two days, and progress was monitored over the course of the week. The study found that the different volumes of water had a significant impact on the growth patterns, leaf count, biomass, and stomatal opening in the stem and leaves of the mung beans. The results suggest that while an adequate amount of water is essential for maximizing mung bean yield, excessive water can hinder growth by disrupting nutrient balance and other physiological processes. Therefore, to achieve optimal growth and yield in mung beans, careful management of water supply is crucial

Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly

Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture: Addressing Animal Health and Welfare Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration’s final Guidance for Industry on the regulation of transgenesis in animal agriculture has paved the way for the commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) farm animals. The production-related diseases associated with extant breeding technologies are reviewed, as well as the predictable welfare consequences of continued emphasis on prolificacy at the potential expense of physical fitness. Areas in which biotechnology could be used to improve the welfare of animals while maintaining profitability are explored along with regulatory schema to improve agency integration in GE animal oversight

Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly

Identification of Risk Factors for Myopia Questionnaire in the Malay Language among Primary School Children in Malaysia

Introduction: This study aimed to develop a questionnaire in Malay language for the identification of risk factors for myopia among primary school children aged 10 to 12 years old in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: The study commenced in October 2012 till Julai 2013 in two main phases. The first phase was a pilot study for the construction of questionnaire items by literature review and discussion with the experts. A total of 103 parents of primary school children were randomly selected to test the comprehensibility of the preliminary questionnaire. The second phase was the actual study which involved parents of 353 primary school children , 132 were parents whose children were myopes and 221 parents whose children were nonmyopes. Results: Discussions with experts in human vision science identified 5 main domains and 71 items for the preliminary questionnaire. A total of 55 items were retained for the actual study phase in view of statistically good correlation (r = 0.4 and above). Predictive validity by chi-square test allowed 28 items to be retained because of significant association with myopia (p &lt;0.05). The correlation coefficient of testretest reliability result was considerably good (r = 0.765) and the validity in 2 categories of risk for myopia showed highly significant predictive validity of the questionnaire (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The developed Malay language questionnaire has good reliability and validity to identify the risk factors for myopia among primary school children in Malaysia.</jats:p