Diagnosing students' difficulties in learning mathematics

This study considers the results of a diagnostic test of student difficulty and contrasts the difference in performance between the lower attaining quartile and the higher quartile. It illustrates a difference in qualitative thinking between those who succeed and those who fail in mathematics, illustrating a theory that those who fail are performing a more difficult type of mathematics (coordinating procedures) than those who succeed (manipulating concepts). Students who have to coordinate or reverse processes in time will encounter far greater difficulty than those who can manipulate symbols in a flexible way. The consequences of such a dichotomy and implications for remediation are then considered

Numerical Experiments on Eigenvalues of Weakly Singular Integral Equations Using Product Simpson's Rule

This paper discusses the use of Product Simpson’s rule to solve the integral equation eigenvalue problem f(x) = R 1−1 k(|x − y|)f(y)dy where k(t) = ln|t| or k(t) = t−, 0 < < 1, , f and are unknowns which we wish to obtain. The function f(y) in the integral above is replaced by an interpolating function Lfn(y) = Pni=0 f(xi)i(y), where i(y) are Simpson interpolating elements and x0, x1, . . . ,xn are the interpolating points and they are chosen to be the appropriate non-uniform mesh points in [−1, 1]. The product integration formula R 1−1 k(y)f(y)dy Pni=0 wif(xi) is used, where the weights wi are chosen such that the formula is exact when f(y) is replaced by Lf n(y) and k(y)as given above. The five eigenvalues with largest moduli of the two kernels K(x, y) = ln|x − y| and K(x, y) = |x − y|−, 0 < < 1 are given. Keywords eigenvalue, product integration, singular kernel, integral equation

A review on vocational education teaching and learning practices for ASD children

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a mental disorder that arises from a child's level that causes a person to act abnormal and difficult to interact or communicate with the community but this does not mean they need to be marginalised by society. These children need to have appropriate education so that they can continue their survival and thus can live like other normal societies. The purpose of this study was to identify the practice of teaching and learning of vocational education for ASD children by reviewing previous studies. Information was searched from journals via the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's (UTM) library website and Google Scholar. The findings revealed the methods and approaches on teaching and learning vocational education in the form of use of technology, effective communication and facility conformity. Therefore, this study can help children ASD not only focus on one form, but also apply various approaches and other means

Study of threatened level of Che Wong

Jumlah penutur sesebuah bahasa sangat berkaitan dengan kelangsungan hidup (survival) sesebuah bahasa kerana jumlah penutur akan menentukan peranan, kepentingan bahasa dan proses pewarisan budaya dan bahasa ibunda penutur ke generasi berikutnya. Jika keadaan ini tidak diberi perhatian, bahasa tersebut menuju ke arah keusangan dan seterusnya menjadi nazak. Akhimya, bahasa tersebut akan pupus kerana ketiadaan penutur dan juga tidak lagi berfungsi dalam sesebuah komuniti. Kepupusan sesebuah bahasa adalah bencana kepada kelangsungan hidup sesebuah suku bangsa mahupun kemanusiaan itu sendiri kerana melalui bahasa, manusia menyimpan atau merakam pelbagai maklumat seperti falsafah pemikiran, pandangan dunia, maklumat perubatan, garis keturunan dan sebagainya. Di Malaysia, Che Wong iaitu salah satu daripada 18 suku kaum Orang Asli yang tergolong dalam Senoi subgroup sedang mengalami penyusutan jumlah anggota komunitinya yang ketara. Sehingga hari ini, jumlah anggota kaum Che Wong dianggarkan hanya tinggal sekitar 400 ke 600 orang (Sarifuddin 2013:13, rujukjuga JAKOA 2008, 2014)dan situasi ini memberi kesan terhadap bahasa mereka. Bahasa Che Wong dikategorikan dalam Bahasa Aslian (keluarga Bahasa MonKhmer)( Signe Howell 2006:65) atau Bahasa Asli Utara (Sarifuddin 2013:7). Kkajian yang akan dijalankan ini bertujuan untuk mengukur dan menentukan tahap keterancaman bahasa Che Wong yang terkini. Hal ini turut melibatkan pengaruh faktor kontekstual penggunaan bahasa yang mempengaruhi sudut pandang dunia serta sistem kekerabatan komuniti tersebut. Data kajian ini ialah percakapan suku kaum Che Wong akan dikumpul menggunakan pendekatan emik (ernie) dan linguistik lapangan. Pendokumentasian hielibatkan teknik pengumpulan data linguistik yang sistematk, berstruktur dan komprehensif termasuk metadata yang melibatkan aspek kontekstual penggunaan bahasa komuniti tersebut. Adalah diharapkan melalui kajian ini, tahap keterancaman bahasa Che Wong akan dapat dikenalpasti dan data yang didokumentasikan itu akan disimpan dalam bentuk korpus linguistik secara salinan lembut (soft copy), salinan keras (hard copy) dan digital untuk rujukan dan kajian pada masa depan

Abstracts of the International Halal Science Conference 2023

This book presents the extended abstracts of the selected contributions to the International Halal Science Conference, held on 22-23 August 2023 by the International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), IIUM, Malaysia in collaboration with Halalan Thayyiban Research Centre, University Islam Sultan Sharif (UNISSA), Brunei Darussalam. With the increasing global interest in halal products and services, this conference is timely. Conference Title:  International Halal Science ConferenceConference Acronym: IHASC23Conference Theme: Halal Industry Sustainability Through ScienceConference Date: 22-23 August 2023Conference Venue: International Islamic University (IIUM), MalaysiaConference Organizer: International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), International Islamic University (IIUM), Malaysi

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to &lt; 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of &amp; GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P &lt; 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62-0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16-1·59), representing a 50% (42-58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease: a prespecified secondary analysis from the empa-kidney trial

Background: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce progression of chronic kidney disease and the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a wide range of patients. However, their effects on kidney disease progression in some patients with chronic kidney disease are unclear because few clinical kidney outcomes occurred among such patients in the completed trials. In particular, some guidelines stratify their level of recommendation about who should be treated with SGLT2 inhibitors based on diabetes status and albuminuria. We aimed to assess the effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease both overall and among specific types of participants in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA), and included individuals aged 18 years or older with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or with an eGFR of 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher. We explored the effects of 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily versus placebo on the annualised rate of change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR slope), a tertiary outcome. We studied the acute slope (from randomisation to 2 months) and chronic slope (from 2 months onwards) separately, using shared parameter models to estimate the latter. Analyses were done in all randomly assigned participants by intention to treat. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and then followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroups of eGFR included 2282 (34·5%) participants with an eGFR of less than 30 mL/min per 1·73 m2, 2928 (44·3%) with an eGFR of 30 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, and 1399 (21·2%) with an eGFR 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2 or higher. Prespecified subgroups of uACR included 1328 (20·1%) with a uACR of less than 30 mg/g, 1864 (28·2%) with a uACR of 30 to 300 mg/g, and 3417 (51·7%) with a uACR of more than 300 mg/g. Overall, allocation to empagliflozin caused an acute 2·12 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (95% CI 1·83-2·41) reduction in eGFR, equivalent to a 6% (5-6) dip in the first 2 months. After this, it halved the chronic slope from -2·75 to -1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (relative difference 50%, 95% CI 42-58). The absolute and relative benefits of empagliflozin on the magnitude of the chronic slope varied significantly depending on diabetes status and baseline levels of eGFR and uACR. In particular, the absolute difference in chronic slopes was lower in patients with lower baseline uACR, but because this group progressed more slowly than those with higher uACR, this translated to a larger relative difference in chronic slopes in this group (86% [36-136] reduction in the chronic slope among those with baseline uACR <30 mg/g compared with a 29% [19-38] reduction for those with baseline uACR ≥2000 mg/g; ptrend<0·0001). Interpretation: Empagliflozin slowed the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease among all types of participant in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, including those with little albuminuria. Albuminuria alone should not be used to determine whether to treat with an SGLT2 inhibitor. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly