Measuring readiness, acceptance and satisfaction of innovative digital economy: preliminary findings

The paper addresses the need to investigate the social, cultural, and consumer environmental factors that help build a conducive digital ecosystem to enhance Malaysia’s national competitiveness in the Digital economy while using technology to enhance societal well-being and wealth creations opportunities. This paper aims at determining the readiness and level of acceptance of current and proposed applications considered as constructs used in creating and validating Critical Success Factors Framework for innovative digital economy. This study employs quantitative method utilizing a set of questionnaire distributed to 50 respondents in Klang Valley. Convenient sampling technique was used as the selection method. However, to ensure a better representative, respondents are grouped into three different clusters based on age. The findings of this paper are derived from a pilot study conducted among 50 respondents. The findings indicate that the majority of the respondents are actively engaged in online transaction. As far as social networking is concerned, the data show that all the respondents are using internet for email, followed by social media activities (90%). Also email and social media are the most common facilities used by the respondents. Findings also show that majority of the respondents were satisfied with the technological advancement of ICT gadgets, internet speed and the quality of website contents. More initiatives such as tax reduction in digital gadgets, tax deduction in acquiring digital gadgets for every household, digital entrepreneurship training programs for marginalized communities, and legal advices to support people’s digital economy activities should be provided by authorities including government linked agencies (GLC)

Polymorphism in the Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha promoter region and its Influence on Colorectal Cancer Predispositiom risk in Malaysian Population

Objective: A case control study was designed to investigate the TNF-,1 -308 G>A polymorphism allele frequencies and to determine the influence of the polymorphic gcnot.ype on sporadic CRC susceptibility risk in Malaysian population. Material. and Method!: Peripheral blood samples of 164 normal controls and 161 clinically and histopathologically con­firmed CRC patients were genotyped for TNF-u -308 G>A polymorphism employing allele specific PCR. The relative associa­tions of various genotypes with CRC susceptibility risk was determined by calculating Odds Ratios. Corresponding chi-square tests on the CRC patients and controls were carried out and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were determined using Fisher e,acts tests. Results: On comparing the frequencies of genotypes of patients and controls, the homozygous ,·ariant AA was significantly higher in CRC patients (p = 0.030) compared to controls. On investigating the association of the polymorphic genotypes with CRC susceptibility risk, the homozygous variant TNF-a -308 AA showed significantly increased risk with OR 2.5842. Conclusion: Our results suggest that, pol) morphic genotJpe of inflammation response gene TNF-a is significantly associat­ed with CRC susceptibility risk and could be considered as a high risk variant for CRC predisposition

Lighting system control techniques in commercial buildings: Current trends and future directions

Artificial lighting is one of the major electricity consumption in commercial buildings and consumed about 17% of the total electrical energy. Therefore, there is a great potential to reduce energy consumption by implementing intelligent lighting control systems, such as integration of sensor technologies (occupancy and light sensors), advanced architectures (wireless- and network-based architectures), and intelligent control techniques (artificial intelligent and optimization). Moreover, an intelligent control system is capable of enhancing the visual comfort of occupants, and reduce electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emission. The lighting control system can be broadly categorized into three main techniques: controller-, optimization-based control, and hybrid. This paper presents recent and significant state-of-the-art interior lighting system control techniques in commercial buildings. The review focuses on several key research, including sensing technologies, objective functions and constraints, techniques, tools, and energy performances. A survey trend analysis is presented graphically and the findings are discussed extensively. Based on the comprehensive review of lighting control techniques, it is found that the optimization-based control technique is widely used by 51% compared to other techniques as it has superior performance to achieve higher energy savings while satisfying visual comfort of occupants, and at the same time the technique solves multi-objective problems effectively. Moreover, future directions have been drawn based on the highlighted gaps toward intelligent and sustainable buildings

The Genetic Variation A > G at 3' UTR of Nuclear Factor Kappa B 1 A (NFkB1A) Influences Susceptibility of Sporadic Colorectal Cancer in Malaysian Population

Colorectal Cancer (CRC), represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its incidence is increasing in developed and developing countries including Malaysia. Multiple disease pathways including Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFkB) signaling pathways, have been implicated in Colorectal carcinogenesis. Given the important role of NFkB pathway in Colorectal carcinogenesis, genes and genetic variations influencing NFkB signaling pathway could be candidate CRC predisposition factors. We hypothesized that an A to G variation in the 3' UTR of NFkB1A may be associated with CRC susceptibility risk in Malaysian population. Design: A Case - Control study was designed to investigate the genotype frequencies of A to G polymorphism at 3' UTR of NFkB1A in Malaysian CRC patients and normal Controls and to determine the genetic risk association of the variant genotype on CRC susceptibility. Objectives: To investigate the genotype frequencies of A to G polymorphism at 3' UTR of NFkBIA in Malaysian sporadic CRC patients and healthy controls and to determine the association risk of the variant genotype on CRC susceptibility. Materials and Methods: This study involved 510 subjects with 211 histopathologically confirmed CRC patients as Cases and 299 healthy individuals as Controls. Blood samples from study subjects were collected, DNA extracted and genotyped employing PCR-RFLP technique. Risk associations of specific genotypes with CRC susceptibility were determined by computing Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Results: The frequency of homozygous major (AA) genotype was significantly higher (p = 0.001) among Controls (44.8%) compared to CRC patients (31.8%) but heterozygous genotype (AG) showed no significant difference between cases and controls. However, the frequency of homozygous variant (GG) genotype was significantly higher in CRC cases (40.7%) compared to controls (24.4%). On investigating the risk, the variant genotype GG showed significant risk association with CRC susceptibility (OR = 2.356, CI: 1.536 - 3.615, p = 0.001). Conclusion: From the results, it is reasonable to suggest that the A to G variation in the 3' UTR of NFkB1A could be a predisposition risk factor in colorectal carcinogenesis, mediating through NFkB signaling pathway

Glutathione S tranferase PI, MI and TI genotypes and risk for colorectal cancer development in Malaysian population

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a multifactorial disease with factors including dietary and lifestyle habits and genetic predisposition contributing to its etiopathogenesis. Even though the genetic predisposing factors are still unclear, genetic polymorphisms of genes encoding enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolic pathways that activate or inactivate dietary carcinogens have been proposed as candidate genes. Three members of the Gluthathione S-Transferase (GSTs) family GSTPI, GSTT1 and GSTM1 have been analyzed in Malaysian population for polymorphic variants, and to elucidate their role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Objective: To determine the frequencies of GSTPI, GSTTI and GSTMI genotypes in 111 histopathologically confirmed CRC patients and 128 healthy controls and to evaluate the association risk of GSTPI, GSTTI and GSTMI genotypes on CRC predisposition. Material and Methods: Peripheral blood from the study subjects were collected in EDTA tubes and genomic DNA extracted using QIAGEN kit. The GSTPI IlelO5Val polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP technique using BsmAl restriction enzyme. The presence or absence of GSTM1 and GSTT1, genes were determined using a multiplex PCR protocol with albumin as the housekeeping gene. The resulting PCR fragments were separated on 2.0% agarose gel for GSTPI and 3.0% agarose gel electrophoresis for the GSTT1 and GSTM1. Results and Conclusion: On evaluating the CRC risk association with variant genotypes singly, GSTTI null genotype was associated significantly with an elevated risk (OR 1.804, 95%CI: 1.065-3.361, p=0027). When the polymorphic genotypes were analyzed in combination, the combination genotypes of GSTPI Val/Val/GSTM+/GSTTI÷ (OR 4.000), Val/Val/GSTMI-/GSTTI- (OR 3.000), and GSTPI Ile/Ile/GSTMI+/GSTTI- (OR 2.833) showed higher associated risk for CRC susceptibility, however the risk values were not statistically significant. Further studies involving larger sample size may help to identify the more specific risk groups and to determine factors of importance in CRC development