The role of content knowledge in the use of reading strategies

Many studies have been carried out to determine the causes of difficulty in comprehending texts. Among those frequently cited as factors that either inhibit or enhance text comprehension are the reader's content knowledge, the medium oflanguage used to convey the content, the reader's Ll reading ability and the reader's level of education. When reading subject-specific texts which are heavily-laden with facts, content knowledge is undoubtedly one of the biggest factors that determine a reader's success in reading comprehension. Readers would face great difficulty in comprehending such texts if they do not possess a sufficient level of content knowledge. The level of content knowledge one possesses influences the quality of reading as it activates the quality of questions raised by the reader (Scardamalia and Bereiter, 1991)

Armus dual roles in autophagy and E-cadherin degradation: distinct partners, regulation and implications for cancer patients

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Invasion, metastasis and apoptotic evasion are cancer hallmarks. Tumour cell metastasis requires loss of E-cadherin cell-cell adhesion receptor. Apoptotic evasion can be mediated by up-regulation of autophagy, which maintains cellular energy during metabolic stress in cancer cells. Armus is a TBC/RabGAP protein that regulates both E-cadherin degradation and autophagy by controlling lysosome fusion with late vesicular compartments or autophagosomes. Understanding Armus function in these degradative processes during tumourigenesis may lead to combinatorial inhibition of oncogenic pathways and novel therapeutic targets. Here I address: (i) whether Armus participates in E-cadherin deregulation downstream of oncogenes, (ii) potential mechanisms through which Armus can switch between its function at junctions and autophagosomes and (iii) potential strategies to inhibit Armus intracellular localisation. I found that Armus is involved in Src and H-Ras disruption of E-cadherin junctions in keratinocytes. Armus binds to α-catenin at junctions, while at autophagosomes Armus interacts with autophagy marker, LC3. Incubation with Armus peptides containing LC3-interacting motifs partially blocks Armus function in autophagy. Mutation of the specific residues mediating α-catenin association reduces Armus localisation at cell-cell contacts. The close juxtaposition of LC3 and α-catenin binding at PH domain at Armus N-terminus may suggest additional roles. Armus N-terminus and RabGAP domain interact directly, and residue K480 is critical for binding. This intramolecular interaction may form a closed conformation, and Armus activation may require the release of this auto-inhibition. It is tempting to suggest that protein interactions at the PH domain such as LC3 and α-catenin may modulate Armus auto-inhibition. Alternatively, the phosphoinositide repertoire interacting with the PH domain may contribute to Armus intracellular distribution and activation. Further insights into Armus activation may provide greater understanding of its function in distinct cellular events with implications for tumourigenesis.Open Acces

Analysis of Flavonoids in Oncidium Taka Flowers at Various Stages of Development

Colour is an important factor in determining the aesthetic value, and hence the economic value of flowers. Thus there is active research and development in chemistry of colour pigments especially in flowers and in the breeding of cultivars for preferred colors. Understanding the chemistry of colour pigments, especially the changes in their composition and concentration as the flower develops, is essential as a background for any attempt at genetic manipulation of flower colour. It is important to know which pigments are normally present so that specific steps in their synthesis can be targeted. In this study the concentration of flavonoids in the flower of the orchid Oncidium Taka, as it develops fiom the bud stage to the mature flower, was determined. Four stages of flower development were arbitrarily selected, viz. the bud stage, partially open flower, fully opened flower and the mature flower. The flavonoids were extracted using methanol and the extract concentrated to dryness. The separation step was by TLC followed by analysis using HPLC and UV Vis spectrophotometer. The standard compounds for flavonoids were kaempferol, luteolin, naringenin and myricetin. The HPLC analysis result showed that kaempferol, luteolin and myricetin were detected in at the level of 14.54 * 3.86, 1.80 0.27 and 3.04 * 1.51 pglg FW respectively at the bud stage. Throughout the experiment, kaempferol concentration decreased as the flower developed to maturity (0.12 0.03 pg/g FW). The same trend was also observed for myricetin (0.24 * 0.1 1 pglg FW) at the third stage but increased at the fourth stage. Luteolin on the other hand remained consistent at approximately 1.35 * 0.44 pg/g FW throughout the development of the flower fiom the bud to the mature stage. Naringenin could not be detected using HPLC at all stages of flower development. The qualitative analysis using TLC and W Vis spectrophotometer also indicated the presence of kaempferol, luteolin and myricetin in Oncidium Taka petals extract. Naringenin was only detected using TLC technique with solvent A (chloroform:acetic acid:water (90:45:6 vlvlv)) and solvent C (chloroform:methanol(100:20 vlv)). All the TLC plates were fumed with iodine vapour

Interaksi antara kepuasan kerja dengan sikap terhadap wang sebagai peramal kepada keinginan untuk berhenti kerja secara sukarela

Tujuan utama kajian ini dilaksanakan untuk mengukur kesan kepuasan kerja dan sikap terhadap wang ke atas keinginan untuk berhenti kerja secara sukarela.Kaedah soal selidik telah digunakan untuk mengumpul 140 borang soal selidik daripada pekerja yang berkhidmat di sebuah penguasa tempatan bertaraf bandaraya di Sabah, Malaysia.Keputusan analisis regresi hierarki menunjukkan dua dapatan penting: pertama, interaksi di antara kepuasan kerja intrinsik dan sikap terhadap wang mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan keinginan pekerja untuk berhenti kerja.Kedua, interaksi diantara kepuasan kerja ekstrinsik dan sikap terhadap wang mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan keinginan pekerja untuk berhenti kerja secara sukarela.Keputusan ujian statistik ini menunjukkan bahawa sikap positif terhadap wang di kalangan pekerja yang mempunyai kepuasan kerja intrinsik berupaya menghalang hasrat mereka untuk berhenti kerja secara sukarela.Manakala, sikap positif terhadap wang di kalangan pekerja yang mempunyai kepuasan kerja ekstrinsik tidak berupaya menghalang hasrat mereka untuk berhenti kerja secara sukarela.Dapatan kajian mengesahkan bahawa sikap terhadap wang hanya bertindak sebagai pemboleh ubah penyederhana separa dalam model kepuasan kerja dalam organisasi kajian.Selanjutnya, perbincangan dan implikasi kajian turut dihuraikan

When fortune smiles onthe poor: a storyof upward intragenerational social mobilityamong Malay Felda settlers

This paper discusses the pattern of social mobility experienced by the first generation Malay FELDA settlers in a FELDA settlement located in Perak. Social mobility patterns are solely gauged by settlers’ socio-economic conditions that are compared between the settlers’ pre-migration and post migration period to the FELDA settlement. The study involved fieldwork conducted for a period of nine months from December 2014 to August 2015. The study used qualitative method using in-depth interviews and participant observation with thirty settlers. The results of the study show that all of the first generation experienced upward intragenerational social mobility due to their migration to the FELDA settlement. Factors such as better employment opportunities, stable earnings and property ownership offered by FELDA are regarded as important reasons for the settlers’ upward social mobility

Self-access learning programme: analysing students' language learning needs and evaluating learning metarials

Today's job market does not only demand for graduates who are knowledgeable but who are also skilful and versatile. To help students to be equipped with the necessary skills, the Department of Modern Languages has incorporated Self-Access Learning(SAL) programme into its English proficiency courses. Since the Self-Access Learning programme is still quite new to the Malaysian student, a research was carried out to: i) to investigate and gauge students attitude towards Self-Access learning programme, materials used and Self-Access Learning laboratories, including the ways in which it affects students learning, and ii) to identify areas where the programmes’ design and execution can be improved. About 1200 participants who took part in the programme were asked to fill up the questionnaires, needs analysis and learning contract for the self-access learning programme that they went through. Analysis on the feedbacks received from the students showed that the self-access programme was beneficial and have helped them developed interests in learning English and encouraged them to be active learners. The feedback also revealed several areas which need further improvement. With regard to the self-access learning materials, the feedback given was not very positive as they suggested that the materials should be more attractive and interesting with more attractive designs for the future. These feedbacks were essential because they provide useful information that reflect i) the overall quality of the programme, ii) the effectiveness of the Self-Access Learning, and iii) the areas that need improvement as well as loopholes or weaknesses. Besides that, it also proved the students readiness for autonomous learning and this readiness can be optimised for the benefit of both the students and lecturers

The effect of entrepreneurial traits in relation to technology entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial behavior / Rohana Ngah … [et al.]

Entrepreneurship has become an important national agenda especially in creating young entrepreneurs. This paper aims to determine entrepreneurial behavior through technology entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial personality traits of students from the Science and Technology clusters. The purpose of technology entrepreneurship as a subject is to encourage students to embark on their entrepreneurship venture using technology. A total of five hundred and ninety-two usable questionnaires were collected at the end of the semester. Partial Least Square was utilized to explore the relationship of variables. Entrepreneurial personality traits mediated the relationship between technology entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial behavior despite the lack of business exposure among students. Technology entrepreneurship education helps to foster entrepreneurial behavior among students. In addition, knowing students’ entrepreneurial personality traits further strengthens entrepreneurial behavior

A novel conceptual framework of Health Information Systems (HIS) sustainability

Sustainable technology means technology is capable of being maintained over a long span of time; independent of shifts in both hardware and software. Effective implementation and use of Health Information Systems (HIS) for years to come are crucial as sustainable HIS. Numbers of studies have discussed various factors contributes towards barriers for successful implementation of HIS. However, very few studies discussed factors on HIS sustainability. Through critical analysis of existing literature on success, failure, and challenges of HIS adoption, this paper identifies four crucial factors that shape the sustainable HIS. The importance of strong leadership support, proper contingency planning, and practice, continuous vendor support, and protection of security and privacy issues are identified by classifying all the factors within these four constructs, and with it, we argue these factors crucial for sustainable HIS. This paper proposes a novel conceptual framework which incorporated all these constructs as HIS sustainability factors. This paper also described the theoretical basics behind the development of the model and methodology to be employed to validate the proposed model

Understanding Cultural Heritage Visitor Behavior: The Case of Melaka as World Heritage City

AbstractVisitors’ interests traveling to Melaka have increased recently and expected to continue. Melaka recorded one of the highest tourist arrivals ever in 2012 at 13.7 million tourists. Despite this trend, very little is known about individuals who visit cultural heritage sites. Evidence suggests many types of tourists who progress from general travelers to specialized tourists. This study investigates visitor behavior to cultural heritage sites in Melaka. Melaka as World Heritage City inscribed by UNESCO in July 2008 forms the scope and location of this study. Methodology utilized survey on 505 local and foreign tourists. The survey was aided by enumerators using Responsible Heritage Tourism Scale translated into four languages. Findings acknowledged that tourists displayed responsible tourism behavior and cultural significance towards heritage buildings and local culture. Visitors exhibited environmental concerns at the tourist surroundings. Memorable tourist and cultural heritage experiences were sought by these tourists. Heritage visitors were classified into memorable tourism experience seeker, cultural significant, responsible, willingness to pay and green tourist. Findings had practical implications for destination marketing of heritage sites

Morphology Analysis of Fine Particles in Background Station of Malaysia

A study have been conducted at Jerantut, Pahang. PM2.5 concentrations were collected continously for 14 days and were analyzed to investigate time series and diurnal variations. Range of PM2.5 concentration was between 6.0ug/m3 and 98ug/m3 with average 30.43 ± 15.07ug/m3. The mean temperature was 28.61°C, while relative humidity and wind speed were 76.49% and 0.56m/s. From hourly variations, the percentage of PM2.5 concentration that exceed USEPA and WHO standards are 30.36% and 56.85%, respectively. Due to rush hour, diurnal pattern shows that PM2.5 concentration had the first peak between 6.00 to 9.00 h, the second peak between 12.00 to 13.00 h and the third peak between 19.00 to 21.00 h. PM2.5 shows a weak negative linear relationship with wind speed and temperature but shows a weak positive linear relationship with relative humidity. Morphology characteristic provides information about particle sources, atmospheric history, formation, reactivity, transport and removal of atmospheric chemical species. From FESEM analysis, the particles were categorized into two groups that are biological particles and anthropogenic particles. The biological particles such as fungal spore, brochosome and fungal hyphae were recognised from their morphology characteristics while anthropogenic particles such as soot were recognised from their morphology characteristics and weight percentage of elemental components