The effects of teacher feedback on multiple-draft compositions in ESL classrooms

Teacher feedback plays a significant role in helping ESL learners acquire the writing skills. However, many research findings indicated that feedback on single draft essays does not help ESL learners much in improving the essays because these learners do not have the opportunity to revise, rewrite, and resubmit their work. Therefore, this study aims at examining the effects of teacher feedback on ESL learners’ compositions in terms of content, language and organization by instituting the multiple draft procedure. The participants of this study wrote a first draft; revised it after getting the feedback on content and further revised it after receiving feedback on language. The findings showed that there were significant mean differences in the content, language, organization and the total marks when the second and the third drafts were compared to the first draft

Enhancement of Liver and Kidney Ultrasound Images by Using Digital Image Processing Techniques

Liver and kidney are two important organs in human body. Both ofthem play a vital role in regulating life processes, especially in digestion and excretion system. However, both liver and kidney diseases persist as a very common disease across the nation. Annually, thousands of patients suffer from both diseases. In Malaysia itself, the statistics shows that average of 1,000 people die due to kidney problem in a year [15]. Today, with the rapid movement of technology, unnecessary measures like surgery can be avoided. Doctors and health practitioners can simply diagnose the mass or tumor by using Medical Imaging Techniques such as Computer Tomography (CT scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound Imaging and X-Ray. The project involves on detecting liver and kidney diseases by using Ultrasound Imaging method. These days, doctors and radiologists have a difficulty in diagnosing raw ultrasound images of any internal organs that consist of soft tissue (i.e.: liver and kidney). Those unprocessed images cannot give patent image to doctors and radiologists in order for them to acquire essential information such as shape, texture andcomposition of tumors andcysts. The gist of the project is to enhance the images of both organs for a better outlook so that doctor can easily diagnose it. The principle of Digital Image Processing (DIP) and its application for liver and kidney ultrasound images has been selected as a field of research for this final year project. The objective of this project is to develop a technique in enhancing the imaging investigation of liver and kidney patients by using Ultrasound Imaging method. This method is safe, cheaper, faster and radiation free. A Digital Image Processing (DIP) fundamental was employed in achieving better quality of images. Literature review of both liver and kidney diseases was reviewed first before the images were processed. Besides, knowledge of Image Processing was mastered before the images were enhanced. Samples of 15 kidney images and 10 liver images from various type of disease were processed by using Matlab 6.1 software. Theresult was found satisfy since the quality of the new images was clearer compare to the raw images. Nevertheless, future work will continue by applying Neural Network system in order to get pattern recognition for the process image

Enhancement of Liver and Kidney Ultrasound Images by Using Digital Image Processing Techniques

Liver and kidney are two important organs in human body. Both ofthem play a vital role in regulating life processes, especially in digestion and excretion system. However, both liver and kidney diseases persist as a very common disease across the nation. Annually, thousands of patients suffer from both diseases. In Malaysia itself, the statistics shows that average of 1,000 people die due to kidney problem in a year [15]. Today, with the rapid movement of technology, unnecessary measures like surgery can be avoided. Doctors and health practitioners can simply diagnose the mass or tumor by using Medical Imaging Techniques such as Computer Tomography (CT scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound Imaging and X-Ray. The project involves on detecting liver and kidney diseases by using Ultrasound Imaging method. These days, doctors and radiologists have a difficulty in diagnosing raw ultrasound images of any internal organs that consist of soft tissue (i.e.: liver and kidney). Those unprocessed images cannot give patent image to doctors and radiologists in order for them to acquire essential information such as shape, texture andcomposition of tumors andcysts. The gist of the project is to enhance the images of both organs for a better outlook so that doctor can easily diagnose it. The principle of Digital Image Processing (DIP) and its application for liver and kidney ultrasound images has been selected as a field of research for this final year project. The objective of this project is to develop a technique in enhancing the imaging investigation of liver and kidney patients by using Ultrasound Imaging method. This method is safe, cheaper, faster and radiation free. A Digital Image Processing (DIP) fundamental was employed in achieving better quality of images. Literature review of both liver and kidney diseases was reviewed first before the images were processed. Besides, knowledge of Image Processing was mastered before the images were enhanced. Samples of 15 kidney images and 10 liver images from various type of disease were processed by using Matlab 6.1 software. Theresult was found satisfy since the quality of the new images was clearer compare to the raw images. Nevertheless, future work will continue by applying Neural Network system in order to get pattern recognition for the process image

Board Competencies, Network Ties And Risk Management Disclosure Practices In Non-Profit Organizations

In the current challenging economic environment, non-profit organizations (NPOs) are exposed to an array of risks and some of these risks are unique due to the characteristics of the organizations.  Understanding and managing these risks are crucial in ensuring sustainability of the NPOs and the responsibility lies with the board. However, risks management and disclosure of risks in NPOs is less well developed relative to for profit organizations and this may affect boards’ role in enhancing risk management practices of these organizations. As such, this study aims to examine the relationships between certain board characteristics: board competencies, network ties and risk management disclosure practices in NPOs. Information on these variables are obtained from content analysis of annual reports and Financial Information Forms of 219 NPOs registered with Companies Commission of Malaysia for the financial period 2011. Results of this study reveal that the overall extent of risk management disclosure practices is at a moderate level. In addition, only board competencies are significantly positively related to the extent of risk management disclosure practices while network ties are not. This infers that some board members acknowledge the importance of being engaged in risk management decision. However, lack of specific guide on risk management in NPOs may reduce the motivation of some board members to do so. The guidelines and relevant trainings to board members provided by relevant authorities may increase the understanding of key risks and management of these risks as part of good governance in NPOs

Motives and accountants’ role for green accounting-reporting towards minimizing financial leakages / Haslinda Yusoff … [et al.]

The accounting and reporting practices on Malaysian business environmentally related matters are generally low and descriptive in form. The prevailing literature indicates that the motives behind green accounting and reporting (GAR) practices are primarily market-based. Thus, it is crucial to understand the reasons behind the low practices despite various supports from the government, regulatory bodies, professional bodies and others. At the individual level, the accountants can play a very significant role in pushing for GAR in their organizations. This study surveyed the current role of accountants pertaining to GAR using the survey method. mail and online questionnaires were sent to accountants and the survey responses were analysed using factor and regression analyses. Three key motivating factors emerged from the factor analysis, namely; (1) shareholders’ value (2) stakeholder engagement and regulatory pressure and (3) highly related to stakeholder engagement. The factor analysis also revealed two types of accountants’ role pertaining to (GAR), namely; (1) a mix of proactive, defensive and reactive (2) accommodative. The only significant organizational characteristics found to be statistically related to the motivating factors for GAR is the type of organization

Fresh Soy Oil Protects Against Vascular Changes in an Estrogen-Deficient Rat Model: An Electron Microscopy Study

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of consuming repeatedly heated soy oil on the aortic tissues of estrogen-deficient rats. METHODS: Thirty female Sprague Dawley rats (200- 250 g) were divided equally into five groups. One group served as the normal control (NC) group. The four treated groups were ovariectomized and were fed as follows: 2% cholesterol diet (OVXC); 2% cholesterol diet + fresh soy oil (FSO); 2% cholesterol diet + once-heated soy oil (1HSO); and 2% cholesterol diet + five-times-heated soy oil (5HSO). After four months, the rats were sacrificed, and the aortic tissues were obtained for histological studies. RESULTS: After four months of feeding, the NC, FSO and 1HSO groups had a lower body weight gain compared to the OVXC and 5HSO groups. The tunica intima/media ratio in the 5HSO group was significantly thicker (p < 0.05) compared to the NC, OVXC and FSO groups. Electron microscopy showed that endothelial cells were normally shaped in the FSO and NC groups but irregular in the 1HSO and 5HSO groups. A greater number of collagen fibers and vacuoles were observed in the 5HSO group compared to the other treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fresh soy oil offered protection in the estrogen-deficient state, as these rats had similar features to those of the NC group. The damage to the tunica intima and the increase in the ratio of tunica intima/media thickness showed the deleterious effect of consuming repeatedly heated soy oil in castrated female rats

The effects of debate competition on critical thinking among Malaysian second language learners

Debate is a common co-curricular activity involving most Malaysian schools at the district level. Every year, each school would send three students to represent its team. In this study, forty (40) second language learners, aged 16 years old, were involved in a two hour debate activity carried out three days per week for three consecutive weeks. This activity was organized by their school seniors, aged 18 years, as part of their English assignment. A pre-post critical thinking test was carried out among the debaters and at the end of the activity, a survey was undertaken to gauge their perception of the thinking process they had experienced. The result revealed that there was a significant difference in their critical thinking skills before and after the debate activity as the intervention. The survey and teacher observation offered feedback on how debate foster their critical thinking. Among others, it showed the importance of scaffolding and collaborative learning in enhancing critical thinking. Another factor is the fact that debate involves argumentation, reasoning, explanation and questioning, all important critical thinking skills. Key words:Critical thinking Debate competition Second language learners Argumentation Explanation skill Reasoning skill Questioning skill Scaffolding collaborative thinkin

The effects of debate competition on critical thinking among Malaysian second language learners

Debate is a common co-curricular activity involving most Malaysian schools at the district level. Every year, each school would send three students to represent its team. In this study, forty (40) second language learners, aged 16 years old, were involved in a two hour debate activity carried out three days per week for three consecutive weeks. This activity was organized by their school seniors, aged 18 years, as part of their English assignment. A pre-post critical thinking test was carried out among the debaters and at the end of the activity, a survey was undertaken to gauge their perception of the thinking process they had experienced.The result revealed that there was a significant difference in their critical thinking skills before and after the debate activity as the intervention. The survey and teacher observation offered feedback on how debate foster their critical thinking. Among others, it showed the importance of scaffolding and collaborative learning in enhancing critical thinking. Another factor is the fact that debate involves argumentation, reasoning, explanation and questioning, all important critical thinking skills